


Mine and Yours: Evolution

by Denrinko



Series: Mine and Yours [2]
Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Blood and Violence, Blow Jobs, Boss Ryuugamine Mikado, Consensual Underage Sex, Dollars (Durarara!!), Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Gang Violence, Gangs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury, Many Tags Not Included Because Spoilers, Mikado is done with your shit, Romantic Fluff, Secret Relationship, Stalking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-31 02:37:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 39
Words: 101,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15110054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denrinko/pseuds/Denrinko
Summary: When Mikado started dating Izaya it was like a dream but after a year of being together, Mikado has realised their relationship isn’t as perfect as he thought. Now, battling with his responsibilities with the Dollars and the feeling of being betrayed by the two people he trusted the most - the teen has reached his breaking point.IZMK R18 *Updates weekly*





	1. Focus on Us

**Author's Note:**

> The second part of MINE AND YOURS will be told in Ryugamine Mikado’s perspective.

Mikado stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel hanging nearby to roughly dry his hair and face. He caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and stared for a moment.

 _I've definitely looked better…_ the teen thought with a sigh, noticing the dark bags under his blue eyes. He dried the rest of his body and stepped out of the bathroom, heading towards the bedroom to get dressed.

He grabbed a black bag from the closet and threw it on the bed. In celebration of their one year anniversary, Mikado and Izaya were going on a weekend trip. They had chosen the weekend before because their real anniversary was on a school day. In fact, it only a few days after Mikado started his second year. It was a lot easier to celebrate it earlier instead of trying to work around his other commitments.

They weren't going far, just to Minato which was a city not far from Ikebukuro. Mikado stared at the empty bag for a moment. Izaya had chosen the location of course, not that the teen really minded but he had a feeling he'd chosen it because the older male didn't want to be far from Ikebukuro with everything that was going on.

 _I wish he'd turn off his informant side just for a weekend so we can enjoy our anniversary but it is Izaya after all. I guess it doesn't really matter, I understand the city is crazy right now._ Mikado sighed and shook his head before gathering the things he needed to pack.

There was a serial killer on the loose in Ikebukuro, a violent and brutal killer the online community had named 'Hollywood' because the murderer always dressed in Hollywood grade costumes. Izaya had also excitedly talked about a famed Russian assassin that was also in town on an important contract, apparently, he was super strong and was kind of a bogeyman in the underworld.

 _Maybe this trip can lighten things up for a little while._ The teen thought hopefully as he packed a change of clothes and his pajamas. He returned to the bathroom to collect his toiletries and decided to pack some lube and condoms just in case. Izaya would probably bring them but seeing as the older man had stashed them in his jacket the last trip they'd taken, Mikado wasn't going to chance it.

 _Honestly, this city never sleeps…and neither does Izaya._ Mikado sighed once again. Izaya had been working nonstop lately and while the teen could see Izaya was trying to make it up to him by calling him and messaging him several times a day, Mikado wished that they could spend more time together especially with everything that had happened.

_Everything is so messed up now…I wanted to evolve but I didn't expect to lose what I had…I can't believe I didn't realise this would happen. I was abandoned by Masaomi…but what did he expect me to do? Stay a clueless and innocent boy forever? Everyone wants excitement in their life, we could have sorted it out if he hadn't run away like a coward._

"He's gone now anyway." He shook his head while pulling zipping up his bag. He got dressed, pulling a pair of black jeans and t-shirt before grabbing the navy blue jacket Izaya had brought him on Halloween, it was his new favourite jacket since the other had been ruined.

He looked at himself in the mirror and felt himself frown. He really did look so ordinary, so boring. He never understood why Izaya had asked him out. He was sure the informant could have anyone with his looks and money so why someone so utterly normal like Mikado?

So what he was the leader of the Dollars? It didn't really impact him all that much.  _There is nothing interesting about me…and now that I'm trying to avoid talking about my friends and the Dollars, I'm even more boring than before._ He thought anxiously. Mikado's appearance made him insecure, he wasn't good-looking nor was he really fashionable.

 _One of these days Izaya is going to realise how boring I am and leave me…He'll lose all interest in me and dump me._ Mikado thought sadly, lowering his eyes. He sighed deeply again and tried to push the depressing thoughts from his head.

In the back of his mind he'd always known that Izaya would leave him one day but he tried his best not to think about it because when he did, he ended up in a really dark state of mind, thinking about how he could keep Izaya to himself, the thoughts were violent more often than not.

If he was honest with himself, he didn't know what he would do now if Izaya tried to leave him, he was too deeply in love to let him go easily.

_It won't come to that. I mean, we're trying to fix things after all. Izaya seems eager to stay together too. It's going to be hard for sure, rebuilding trust isn't easy but I know our relationship is strong enough to survive this and flourish._

Mikado slung his bag over his shoulder and cleaned up the room a little. He was meeting Izaya at Ikebukuro station, the man had been working hard to finish a job given to him by the Awakusu-kai at the last minute. Apparently, it was urgent and couldn't wait, Izaya had seemed quite annoyed by it actually which had made the teen smile.

It was amusing to hear the informant whine about Shiki, his contact with the Awakusu as Mikado had learned over time. Izaya always complained about the jobs he gave to him claiming the man always gave them to him at bad times. Usually, they were simple jobs like tracking people and such that were just tedious for Izaya but the older man had explained they paid too well and the Awakusu-kai was a valuable client he'd rather not to piss off.

Mikado grabbed his phone off the bedside table. Izaya had got him a new smartphone for his birthday, it was sleek and black with a red cover. Mikado hated to imagine what it cost but he really liked it. It was a lot faster than his old phone and while it took him a while to get used to the touchscreen, he found it easier to understand. The Dollars website looked really nice on it too which was a nice bonus but with the screen being so big, it was also harder to hide what website he was on.

He slipped the phone into his pocket and started to head out, making sure he had everything before slipping on his new sneakers and leaving the apartment. Luckily, it was a nice day, the sun was shining, there was a slight warm breeze and the sky was clear.

When Mikado was close to the station he messaged Izaya to ask where he was which he replied that he was still on the train and would meet him inside when he reached Ikebukuro. The teen was a bit nervous about waiting inside the train station, it was always crowded and people were rude. Plus for some reason, people liked to try and touch him. He guessed it was because he looked meek and nervous and perverts thought he was an easy target which might have been true before he finished his training.

He'd grown more confident since finishing his strength and stamina training, his instructor had taught them self-defense and boxing near the end and now the teen was confident he could throw a pretty mean punch or even kick. Mikado had enjoyed the training despite how hard it had been, he had enjoyed becoming stronger and faster.

He was still a beginner for sure but Izaya had said about doing some other training and Mikado was keen.  _I honestly thought I would have lost weight but I gained it…though my stomach is flatter now so maybe it's just muscle mass. I hope it's muscle mass…_

"Mikado~" Izaya's cheerful voice called out to him and the teen turned seeing his boyfriend all but skip towards him. "Good morning." Izaya greeted him, his red eyes sparkling with their usual mirth.

Mikado stared at him for a moment, he really was a beautiful man. The teen had to fight the urge to hug him, to touch him but he tightened his grip on his bag and resisted – they were in public after all.

Mikado felt a warm smile spread across his face. "Good morning." he happily greeted the man as they started walking towards the platform of their train. "How was your night? Did you finish all your work?"

"Hm~" Izaya tilted his head and shrugged. "All the urgent stuff." He smirked, his eyes amused. Mikado chuckled, knowing that the man had probably ditched a few lesser jobs so he'd be able to get at least some sleep.

Mikado admired the man as they started to walk through the station to their platform. He'd forgone his usual attire probably choosing to ditch it so he'd be less recognisable and blend in better with the crowds. He still wore his tight-fitting black jeans that allowed the teen to check out the man's long legs and ass but rather than his fur-lined jacket he wore a simple long-sleeve rust-coloured shirt and a black vest. The shirt brought out the red in his eyes amazingly and they almost looked like blood. He was even wearing black sneakers and a black shoulder bag that tapped against his thigh as he walked.

He looked younger than he actually was, well, Izaya always looked younger than his actual age but now he looked like a high schooler. Mikado was okay with that though, now at least they would look like friends and not a pair of brothers.

"Do you like what you see?" Izaya suddenly teased and Mikado looked up at him to see a huge smirk on the man's face, he'd obviously caught him staring. The teen blushed, heat rushing to his cheeks as he ducked his head.

 _Of course, I do._ He thought.  _You're literally the most handsome man I've ever laid eyes on. You're utterly beautiful._ Mikado's heart skipped a beat as he glanced back up at the informant who was gazing at him affectionately.  _I can't believe I'm dating someone like him, he belongs to me. He loves me._

"You're so adorable." Izaya smiled, his eyes crinkling as they shone with emotion. Mikado felt completely breathless for a moment. Izaya's smiles were always so surreal, like a dream. The teen knew that Izaya barely smiled, only smirked – which in fact, were not the same thing at all.

_I always feel like I'm going to faint when he looks at me like that…_

"I-I see you brought a bag this time." the teen stuttered, changing the subject in an effort to escape his embarrassment. Izaya chuckled, seeing right through him. He nodded,

"Yeah, I decided I didn't want to stash my toothbrush in my pocket this time." Izaya grinned and Mikado laughed at the memory. The first trip they'd ever gone on which was for Izaya's twenty-fourth birthday, the informant had stashed his belongings in the inner pocket of his jacket claiming he disliked carrying bags as it clashed with his style.

"That's probably a good idea." Mikado agreed, remembering that Izaya had actually hidden lube in his jacket at that time. The only reason it probably hadn't leaked was because it was brand new and still had the safety seal on it. "But now that I think about it…doesn't the hotel supply a toothbrush?"

Izaya had picked the hotel, which was no doubt going to be as fancy as the last one but he did tell Mikado about the extras in the room, he'd been like an excited child and the teen had to wonder if there was something special about the amenities that Izaya wasn't telling him about.

"Yeah, it comes with a lot of extras," Izaya commented. "But I'd rather use my own things." The teen nodded in agreement. There was something unsettling about using personal hygiene things like toothbrushes and the such when you had no idea where they were from or what someone could have done to them.

When their train reached the platform they climbed aboard, relieved that it wasn't too crowded. Though Mikado had realised during his time in Tokyo that he didn't like trains, they always smelt like an overpowering scent of different perfumes, foods and body odour and there seemed to be molesters everywhere.

Mikado knew he was especially targeted because of his meek demeanor, they all thought he wouldn't make a fuss or struggle which might have been true a year earlier but now he was a lot more confident in himself thanks to the training he had done. Now, he was sure he would gladly punch anyone in the face if they touched him without permission.

But just in case, he stood close to Izaya. Mikado inhaled deeply, he was so close that the bad smells from the car were mostly replaced by Izaya. The man always smelt like freshly ground coffee beans and new books – it was a smell Mikado had come to adore. It was comforting, to say the least, it soothed him like nothing else.

"What are you thinking about?" Izaya asked quietly, interrupting his thoughts. "You're frowning." The teen blinked before glancing up at him, fighting the blush that threated to dye his cheeks.

"Uh, I was just thinking about how I would gladly punch any molesters in the face now." Mikado gave a half-truth. There was no way he was going to tell the informant he was thinking about how much he liked his smell.

Izaya smirked at the teen's reply. "Would you really?" he asked, sounding doubtful. Mikado had to stop himself from pouting. He could understand the man's lack of faith, the teen had never punched someone in his entire life – outside of training that is.

"Oh look, some free seats. Let's sit down." Izaya pointed to some seats and the couple sat down.

They'd done some boxing as part of their strength training but he'd never been in a real life fight before. But he knew how to properly punch and kick now. It wasn't news to him that Izaya thought he was weak. The informant was almost incredibly strong after all so the level Mikado was at would be considered weak by him but the teen knew he could throw a mean punch as he'd accidentally broken someone's nose during boxing.

But he had never told Izaya about it as he feared the older man would pull him out of classes if he thought there was any chance Mikado would get seriously injured. They had been discussing the next level of Mikado's training which was picking a martial art to learn.

Mikado was leaning towards either mixed martial arts or Krav Maga which sounded brutal but effective. Izaya had commented that he'd like to teach the teen parkour and free running which was exciting but there hadn't been much progress as Izaya had been so busy.

"So, what are we doing again?" Mikado asked curiously, wanting to get out of his own head. Izaya turned to him from where he'd been staring out of the window,

"To be honest, I only made plans for tonight. I thought maybe we could do what you wanted to?" Izaya suggested, leaning back in his chair.

_I don't even know what's in that part of Tokyo…I don't know if there is any attractions or anything._

"I was just thinking we could just spend some time together, try to relax a little bit. There's been a lot going on recently and I think we both deserve a break, you especially." Mikado murmured, he glanced at the man's hand really wanting to hold it.

Izaya smiled. "That sounds really nice. I just want to spend time with you too so what we do doesn't really matter." Izaya reached over and took the teen's hand making Mikado flinch slightly and look around to see if anyone was staring at them.

"It's okay." Izaya quietly reassured them. "No one can see."

Mikado blushed slightly and smiled. He'd gotten better with public displays of affection. He tried not to worry about it too much but when they were in Ikebukuro his paranoia levels would go through the roof with the thought that someone with bad intentions would see them.

_Izaya must feel pretty bad when I shake off his advances but it's for our safety. I understand the desire to hold hands or even kiss but it's just too risky._

_Plus by now, there has to be a few people that are suspicious, I mean, Heiwajima Shizuo saw us together when he attacked Izaya outside his office. Ever since then he looks at me with open disgust and his body language screams he doesn't like me._

_It took me a while to realise that he saw us holding hands and basically hugging but he hasn't said anything which is good. He might even have an idea that we're in a relationship but from what I know thankfully he isn't one to gossip._

_It's a shame, he is a valuable member of the Dollars. He's a figurehead which deters most other gangs. All the figureheads do. I mean they're all badass, like Celty and Kadota-san. But Heiwajima-san is on a whole other level._

Mikado had been considering coming out as gay. Not revealing Izaya as his lover though because that would be dangerous but just opening up about his sexuality. Anri had accepted it well, in fact, she was almost relieved. Mikado didn't blame her, she thought her two male friends were in love with her, she was scared of losing them if she were to confess that she did indeed like Masaomi which must have put a lot of pressure on her.

But now Mikado was glad she wasn't able to confess because it seems the blond teen was never serious about her which would have led to heartache and pain for her, probably more than she was already feeling. Mikado truly felt sorry for her, Masaomi had run away with another girl – though, he didn't know if Anri knew that.

Izaya had been the one to tell him that he'd run away with a girl named Mikajima Saki who was his ex-girlfriend that had been badly injured during the war between the Yellow Scarves and the Blue Squares. Masaomi had been riddled with guilt and broken up with her, despite still being in love with her. He'd been in love with her all this time which meant Masaomi was never serious when he hit on other girls, including Anri – he was just leading them on, probably to sleep with them which Izaya explained he had been doing.

Mikado sighed in frustration. These days, whenever he thought of Masaomi it made him angry. The more he found out, the angrier he got. Izaya had revealed everything and now Mikado knew that Kida Masaomi was not the person he'd thought he was. Not at all.

"Babe? Babe, what's wrong?" Izaya asked, his voice slightly strained. Mikado blinked and realised he'd tightened his hold on Izaya's hand so much it was like a death grip, the man's hand was changing colour.

"Oh my god!" Mikado quickly let go in shock. "I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Mikado asked, flustered. Did he seriously just almost crush Izaya's hand!? Izaya chuckled and rubbed his hand to help the blood start flowing again.

"I'm fine dear. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine! I just got lost in thought." Mikado shook his head trying to force a smile on his face but not succeeding. Izaya frowned and studied the teen's face.

"You were thinking about him again, weren't you?" he sighed with a smile which looked pitying. Mikado didn't like it so he averted his eyes.

"I didn't mean to. My train of thought just kind of went there and I just got so mad." Mikado's voice got more aggressive as he got mad once again just thinking about it.

"I know, I know." Izaya squeezed his shoulder trying to calm him. "Let's just try not to think about things like that right now. It's our anniversary, let's enjoy ourselves." Izaya cooed comfortingly. Mikado sighed taking a deep breath to calm himself down.

"You're right." He smiled as he forced any and all thoughts of Masaomi from his mind. He focused his eyes on Izaya's face, just admiring him. He was hit by the strong urge to kiss him and from the way Izaya was looking back at him, he felt the same.

"Let's just focus on us." Mikado smiled happily.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED.  
> If you find any mistakes (spelling, grammar, not grammatically correct, etc.) please notify me so I can fix it!  
> Thank you~!
> 
> (Join my Durarara!! community on discord where we share pictures and talk about the series: https://discord.gg/J3FbzHx )


	2. Hanami for Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It could be like a mini Hanami just for us."

They reached their hotel shortly after they got off the train – The Mandarin Oriental, which was just in Nihonbashi neighborhood, just a short distance away from Akihabara. It was a nice modern room that mixed a traditional bamboo floors and bed frame with a dark contemporary leather couch and desk.

It was like a mixture of their tastes. Mikado preferred more traditional style while Izaya liked the darker contemporary things like leather and straight lines. A perfect mixture of both their tastes. Mikado had to wonder that when they fully moved into together – it would look like this.

"This is amazing, I can see Mount Fuji from here!" Mikado exclaimed, looking out the large windows that made up the majority of the west wall. "I should have guessed you would pick a high-class hotel like this." the teen turned to look at his lover who smiled as he walked towards him

"Of course, only the best for you baby." Izaya purred, wrapping his arms around Mikado's waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. "I even requested it to be as high up as possible." Izaya's red eyes traveled to the window, Mikado's eyes did the same admiring the view.

"See that over there? That's Shinjuku." The informant pointed towards some far away buildings through the gaps of the high rises. Mikado tilted his head and leaned back on Izaya.

_It's so beautiful…no matter how many times I see it the city from high up is always so dazzling._

"And guess what?" Izaya pulled back from Mikado, the teen turned around. The man approached two nice black lacquer boxes on the built-in bed bench. Izaya opened one of the boxes to reveal a red silky fabric. "Yukatas." He winked suggestively.

Mikado blushed furiously. The thought of Izaya dressed in that red silk made the teen's heart race and his body flush with heat. He'd never admitted to anyone it but he believed that traditional clothes like kimonos were incredibly erotic. The fabric only being kept on by one single tie, any slight pull would reveal the pale skin underneath...

"But~" Izaya sang closing the box and pulling Mikado out of his daydream. "We'll have fun with those later. For now, I think lunch is in order – I'm starving!" the man exclaimed childishly which made Mikado smile.

"Yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes jokingly with a slight chuckle.

They slowly wandered the streets looking for somewhere to eat. Mikado looked around, taking in the new surroundings. It wasn't much different from Ikebukuro, they were still in Tokyo but for some reason, it felt more peaceful.

The teen glanced up at Izaya to see he was also looking around with interest, his red eyes drawing in the information around them. Mikado smiled and looked forward. Izaya had stated that he should decide what they do during the day but he didn't really have any idea on what to do, he didn't know the area and to him, it didn't really matter - he just wanted to spend time with Izaya.

"Wow, look at the cherry blossoms," Izaya stated, sounding impressed. Mikado looked in the direction the older man was pointing to see a large park. Cherry Blossom trees lined the paths and gardens. The teen looked at them in awe, even though he'd seen the trees bloom a hundred times in his hometown, it always felt like a new experience, something special. They were all so beautiful.

"Hey, what if we got some takeaway and ate under the cherry blossoms?" Mikado suggested thoughtfully. "It could be like a mini Hanami just for us." He grew excited by the idea. He hadn't been to a Hanami in years.

Izaya smiled. "That's a great idea. We just have to find somewhere to get some food." He agreed happily. It wasn't long before they spotted a shop with a sign out the front that advertised freshly made bentos. Apparently a special due to the cherry blossoms being in full bloom.

They got their bentos and headed back to the park. "Where do you think is a good place to sit?" Izaya asked as they walked down the gravel path. There were plenty of benches to sit at but Mikado wanted somewhere a bit more private.

"How about over there under that big tree?" he pointed to a cluster of blooming trees. From the look of it, no one was there and it was fairly discreet. Izaya agreed and they headed over to sit on the grass under one of the gorgeous cherry blossoms trees.

"Wow, this looks so good." Mikado praised as they open their bentos, one was chicken and other seafood. Mikado broke his chopsticks and picked up a piece of chicken.

"Here." He offered it to Izaya who opened his mouth, allowing the teen to feed him. Mikado watched as Izaya chewed with a smile on his face. "Good?"

"Yeah, here you try it." Izaya grinned picking up some food himself and offering it to the teen. Mikado blinked before opening his mouth with a smile. Mikado chewed happily, pleased with the attention and food.

"You're right, it is good." Mikado agreed with a chuckle. "Though, I wonder what people would say if they saw us feeding each other."

Izaya chuckled. "Who cares what they think." He moved a bit closer to the teen so the sides of their bodies were pressed up against one another. Mikado leaned on the older man slightly and smiled.

_Yeah, I guess it doesn't matter what they think. There's not much of a chance I'll ever see these people again or that they'll recognise us – well, Izaya. I'm too happy to care anyway, I want to enjoy this!_

Conversation flowed easily despite how Mikado was avoiding talking about all the important things. He told the older man about the manga he was reading, about things they'd seen on TV or in the streets.

"I have to write my speech for the opening ceremony. I really should have done it already." The teen sighed. Mikado was the top student in his year level – actually, that wasn't quite true, Anri was the top student but she declined to do any speeches.

"Do you want to do it? I remember when I was in high school, I loved doing the speeches." Izaya smiled, remembering fondly. Mikado could imagine why the older man would have loved it - being the center of attention, everyone listening to what he was saying.

"I don't mind it." Mikado replied honestly, "But I do get a bit nervous that I'll mess up on stage." The feeling on hundreds of eyes on him, listening to him was conflicting. It made him feel empowered in a way but also nervous because he knew they were judging him.

"You shouldn't be nervous." Izaya murmured with a smile. Mikado blinked at the sudden change of tone by the older male. "You're so beautiful and smart, you should be more confident in yourself."

Mikado blushed deeply at the compliments, ducking his head to hide his expression.

 _How can he just say something like that so suddenly?_ Mikado thought to himself.  _Doesn't he feel even a bit embarrassed!?_

Izaya chuckled making the teen look up, he stared at the man for a moment.

 _He really is so gorgeous…and yet he calls someone as plain as me beautiful…_  Mikado's blue eyes focused on a single pink petal resting in Izaya's inky locks. He reached out and plucked it out with a shy smile.

"You're a lot more beautiful than I am." He murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. Mikado widened with surprise as Izaya blushed ever so slightly, a dust of pink on his pale cheeks as he averted his eyes in what could only be embarrassment.

 _Oh!_ Mikado realised with a cheeky smile.  _So it works both ways, so cute~ I understand now!_

"When did you get so smooth?" Izaya joked, covering up his embarrassment and Mikado laughed.

"Well, I learnt from the best." Mikado grinned, enjoying the fact he'd made Izaya blush. It was almost like sweet revenge for all the times the man had purposely made him flustered.

Izaya laughed before he leaned in. "Of course, how could I forget?" he smirked and leaned forward. Mikado lifted his face and his eyelashes dipped-

Izaya's lips when soft and gentle when they met Mikado's. Izaya's tongue pressed against his lips and the teen obediently opened his mouth, shivering when Izaya's slippery organ brushed against his for the first time.

"Mhm." Mikado purred and wrapped his arms around Izaya's neck to pull him closer. The slightly bitter taste of the other man filled his senses as their tongues danced together passionately. He loved kissing Izaya, he could do it for hours.

The teen shivered when Izaya drew his tongue into his mouth, sucking on it slightly. Mikado flicked his tongue, tracing around the roof of Izaya's mouth where he was sensitive. Izaya's breath stuttered a bit and his hands went to the teen's waist.

The teen took over the kiss, nipping and sucking on the older male's tongue in a way that made Izaya drop all of his defenses. Mikado couldn't help but smile into the kiss, there was something so immensely satisfying about being able to control any aspect of Izaya.

They pulled back with a smack of their lips, both panting as they looked at each other. Mikado knew his face was red, he could feel his member start to stir in his jeans, but looking at Izaya's swollen, wet lips parted before him- he really didn't want to stop but he knew they had to.

Izaya licked his lips and smirked. "I'm glad we chose somewhere so secluded to have lunch." He teased, the teen licked his own lips and smiled happily.

"Yeah..." Mikado sighed contently and rest his head on Izaya's shoulder as they sat there, half cuddling one another.

 _Ah, I wish it could always be like this…the two of us together where nothing else matters and we can just enjoy life._ Mikado thought with a wry smile.  _But I guess that's impossible. We both have issues, responsibilities, and goals that demand our attention._

He frowned slightly. Just recently, he'd seen another gang in Ikebukuro. He'd found out through Izaya's ramblings that it was a biker gang from Saitama which had concerned Mikado. Izaya had reassured them that they weren't in town to start a fight with the Dollars which was good, he just hoped none of his more troublesome members wouldn't start a fight.

Secretly, part of him was annoyed. Ikebukuro was clearly Dollars territory (street gang wise), they were famous enough for that to be clear and yet another gang from out of town thought it was alright to come and walk around like they owned the place – The Dollars were obviously being looked down upon and it pissed him off.

"Mikado? You're not falling asleep are you?" Izaya's quiet but affectionate voice broke through his thoughts making his anger dissipate.

The teen slowly opened his eyes and smiled, "Maybe a little bit." He lied sheepishly which made Izaya chuckle.

"I guess we should move around a bit then, huh? Do you want to walk around or something?"

"Sure" Mikado agreed easily. "What time is it?"

"It's three o'clock. We have to catch a train at six to get to the restaurant for dinner so we have a few hours." Izaya explained as he stood up and stretched. Mikado hummed and gathered up their lunch rubbish, which Izaya took from him and carried until they reached the bin.

 _What a gentleman._ Mikado thought with an amused but affectionate smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED.  
> If you find any mistakes (spelling, grammar, not grammatically correct, etc.) please notify me so I can fix it!  
> Thank you~!
> 
> (Join my Durarara!! community on discord where we share pictures and talk about the series: https://discord.gg/J3FbzHx )


	3. Something Sharp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'This must be where Izaya buys his knives from. I never really thought about where he got his collection.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a double upload because this chapter's a bit boring and I'm writing chapters super fast (seriouslyIjustfinishedwritingchaptertwentysix).

They walked for some time and found themselves in the shopping district. Mikado looked around, careful not to look at anything too long in case Izaya insisted on buying it for him. He looked at Izaya who seemed to be reading the street sign up ahead.

"Let's go up here," Izaya suggested when they reached the side street and Mikado shrugged. The street was quiet with not a lot of people walking down it. Mikado blinked when Izaya suddenly turned down what looked like an alleyway.

"Huh? Izaya?" Mikado followed closely after him. "Where are you going?"

"Here," Izaya replied with a smile as he stopped outside a plain black door. The teen frowned.  _What is he going on about-_ the teen's eyes widened when Izaya opened the door without any trouble and stepped inside. Mikado frowned deeply, wondering what in the world the man was up too but followed him nonetheless.

It looked like a camping store, with tents and other supplies displayed around the small store. The large man behind the counter caught Mikado's eye and the teen felt the hairs on his neck stand up. He wasn't Japanese but rather Caucasian with a buzz cut and sharp, ice blue eyes.

The man was massive, almost the same size as Simon and just looking at him made Mikado want to turn around and leave. "Hello, Kurocchi!" Izaya greeted loudly walking directly to the counter where the man was standing. The larger man narrowed his eyes and stared down at the informant.

"Orihara Izaya." He replied gruffly. "I think I prefer it when you shop online." The comment made Izaya laugh.

"Naw, don't be so mean!" Mikado watched the two of them in a mixture of confusion and wariness.

 _I wonder how they know each other?_ He wondered before saw them - in the display cases that made up the counters were knives, lots of knives from small throwing knives to large hunting knives, all the blades the teen could think of were displayed before him.

_This must be where Izaya buys his knives from. I never really thought about where he got his collection._

"Did anything new come in?" Izaya's voice made Mikado focus on the two older males once again. His boyfriend was leaning on the counter like he owned the place as he looked at all the blades.

"Nothing you would be interested in." The man replied. Mikado realised the man was polishing a large hunting knife with a rag, looking down at him with cold eyes. The teen's mind was screaming danger but he stood still, not wanting to draw attention to himself but it seemed it was useless as the man's eyes focused solely on him.

"Who's the kid?" he questioned, basically glaring at the teen. Mikado could feel his palms start to sweat but he held the man's gaze like it was a matter of pride.

Izaya chuckled. "This is Mikado." He said cheerfully as he pushed away from the counter, dancing around Mikado until he was behind him, his hands on his shoulders.

"Mikado, this is Petrov Kuro. He's the man that I buy all my knives from." Izaya cheerfully introduced, before leaning in. "He's very good at keeping secrets." He murmured in Mikado's ear before pulling back and winking at the teen.

 _Oh my god, is he…this guy…is he a weapons dealer? Is Izaya introducing me to a weapons dealer?_ Mikado realised keeping his face neutral despite his surprise.

"It's nice to meet you." He bowed politely, not wanting to offend the man in any way. Kuro gave a stiff nod in return before turning back to Izaya. He started speaking in another language that the teen didn't understand but he recognised it as Russian.

Mikado quietly gritted his teeth as it occurred to them that despite them being on a  _date_  for their  _anniversary,_  Izaya had brought him somewhere  _work_  related. He directed his glare at the ground as his thoughts grew darker.

_It's like Izaya can't even focus on me anymore. He always involves his work in everything without fail. I can't believe this, this trip was meant to be about us, about trying to reconnect us but he brought us here._

_What if he brought us to this town just so he could see this guy?_ Mikado's eyes widened.  _Would he do that? Honestly, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised. He obviously cares about his work a lot more then he cares about me-_

"Are you alright babe?" Izaya's voice broke through his thoughts and his grip on the teen's shoulders tightened, his thumbs rubbing circles on his shoulder blades.

 _I wonder what I should say…_ Mikado wondered, he didn't really want to start an argument.

"I was trying to talk to you but you ignored me." Izaya pouted slightly, leaning heavily on his back. Mikado decided to let it go and forced a smile on his face.

"Sorry, what did you say?" he asked which made Izaya frown before he sighed.

"I was suggesting that you get something." Mikado blinked and stared at the man for a moment.

"What?" he said dumbly. "Me?"

"Yes dear, you." Izaya rolled his eyes with a smile. The older man gently led him over to the counter and Mikado glanced at Kuro nervously. The large man was emotionless, showing no signs of being affected by the pet names nor by Izaya's excessive touching.

"I don't know Izaya." Mikado frowned, "I've never really thought about getting something like this." he admitted honestly, his blue eyes scanning over the collection of knives before him. It felt like such a thing wasn't him, in his mind knives were associated with one person – Izaya. Plus, learning hand-to-hand combat was one thing but a knife seems like a big jump he wasn't sure he was ready for.

"I know but I was thinking it would be good to have as a last defense." Izaya reasoned, all but hugging him from behind. The teen frowned.

_I can see where he's coming from but I don't know…I don't know how to use a knife, hell, I don't even know if I could. I can't even tell the people at fast food when they mess up my order!_

"You're overthinking it, babe," Izaya said with a smile. "It's no different than using a kitchen knife and I know you can use one of those." He said matter-of-factly.

_Yeah, but I don't point kitchen knives at people!_

"I'm not saying you ever have to use it but it would be good for you to have in case you ever get in a situation where hand-to-hand combat isn't enough."

"He's right kid." Kuro suddenly interjected making the teen look up at him. "Plenty of people carry knives around these days from school girls to businessmen. It's just for self-defense. It doesn't mean that you ever have to use it, some people just find comfort in knowing they have something if things go bad." The man's voice was deep and gruff and with the way he stood there, his arms crossed as he leaned on the far counter - it made Mikado think of a video game merchant.

Mikado knew they were right. It made a lot of sense. He would be safer if he had something rather than nothing, and just as Kuro had said, it didn't mean he had to use it but a part of him couldn't shake off the uneasiness of it all.

Mikado nodded slowly, agreeing to get one of the knives despite his uncertainty. Izaya's arms tightened around his waist and pulled the teen closer to him.

 _If one of Izaya's enemies or even a rival gang attacked me…a knife would help a lot._ He tried to convince himself.

"Alright. I would suggest something like this for a first timer." Kuro said pointing to a pocket knife about fifteen centimeters long. Mikado tilted his head as he stared at it.

"I only want something small." He shook his head. Izaya rested his head on the teen's shoulder, looking over it to see the blades.

"It would be best if it was concealed, it's a bit too obvious carrying it on your pocket."

Kuro hummed as his dark eyes scanned around the blades. "What about this one?" He got a knife out of the cabinet of the far side and showed the teen. It was no bigger than the paring knife Mikado often used to peel vegetables back home but the blade was thin and glinted dangerously, promising that it was much sharper than a normal kitchen knife.

"This particular knife comes with a genuine leather ankle strap for the sheath," Kuro explained showing them the small black sheath. "It fits so snuggly that no one would be able to tell you're wearing it unless your pants are skin tight."

"How skin tight? Would these jeans be alright?" Mikado asked, gesturing to his blue straight-leg jeans.

"Should be. They would have to be even tighter than Orihara's jeans to make it obvious." Kuro said eyeing the informant's black skinny jeans with skeptical eyes. Mikado chuckled,

"That's alright, I definitely don't wear anything tighter than that." He said amused as Izaya pouted on his shoulder before pulling away. Mikado looked at him curiously as he reached out for the knife and Kuro handed it to him.

"Hmm." He pressed his finger gently to the edge, testing how sharp it is. Mikado watched him, surprised by the serious look on his face. "How strong is the metal? What is it made out of?"

"It's Japanese steel comprising of high carbon content, plus cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, and vanadium for extra durability and easy sharpening."

Mikado blinked, not having an idea what any of those things meant but from the impressed look on Izaya's face, he guessed it was good. The teen who looked up at Izaya when he turned to face him.

"What do you think? Do you want it Mikado?" the informant questioned lightly.

The teen knew it was really a matter of if he needed it rather than if he actually wanted it.

The teen hesitated for a moment, glancing between the two older men before nodding slowly. "Yeah, as you both said, it's a good idea to have one." He watched as Izaya brought it for him, paying in cash.

"You probably shouldn't carry it around," Kuro said, handing over the knife to the informant who turned to Mikado.

"How about you put it on? That way you can try in to and get used to it." Izaya suggested with a smile. Mikado frowned at the concept, he didn't really like the thought of having a weapon on him, especially when they were meant to be on a  _peaceful date_.

_But then again…Izaya always has a least one knife on him at all times. I don't think he ever leaves the house without one, it's just as important as his keys or wallet._

"Hmm." The teen frowned deeply before shrugging. "Alright." He looked around for somewhere to sit down so he could roll up his jeans to strap the sheath on but there wasn't one anywhere.

"Turn around," Izaya told him, picking up the weapon and Mikado blinked for a moment before doing so. Mikado leaned against the counter, his back to Kuro as Izaya crouched down in front of him.

 _Shit…_ Mikado thought as his heart skipped a beat. He'd always had a thing for when Izaya gets down on his knees in front of him like the teen was some sort of higher power. It didn't help that Izaya's head was at the same height as his crouch.

Mikado averted his eyes, trying to keep his mind out of the gutter as Izaya pulled up the hem of his jeans and wrapped the straps around his ankle. The mixture of the older man's cold hands on his skin and the fact his face was all but pressing into the front of his jeans made the teen flush slightly as he couldn't help but glance down.

Izaya looked up at him when the knife was secure and smirked, his red eyes flashing as he purposely licked his lips not breaking eye contact for a second.

 _This asshole…he knows exactly what he's doing!_ Mikado thought in outrage. Luckily, he hadn't grown hard but he knew that if Izaya didn't get up soon he most likely would. Much to his relief, Izaya lowered the hem of his pants, covering the weapon that was now strapped there and stood up, grinning sadistically at the teen the entire time.

Kuro cleared his throat making the teen flinch and blush furiously. Mikado didn't know if the large man had noticed Izaya teasing him but he knew what it must have looked like from his angle.

"How does it fit?" he asked and Mikado tried to focus his attention on the new weight. He twisted his ankle, it prevented him from moving it as much he could but as he pushed off from the counter and walked a few steps, he didn't find it too annoying.

"I think it will take me a while to get used to it but otherwise it's good." He replied honestly, still testing the agility of his ankle by twisting it in different directions.

"That's to be expected." Kuro nodded, Mikado also nodded and Izaya beamed happily,

"Well!" He gave a single cheerful clap of his hands. "I'm glad. We'll see you later Kurocchi!" Izaya took the teen's hand and started leading him out of the store.

"Don't call me that, Orihara." The man growled. Mikado smiled and gave the man a respectful nod and thanked him before being dragged out of the door and back into the street.

As they walked, Mikado was strangely aware of the knife weighing down his ankle. He looked down at his feet as they walked. "Say, Izaya..." Mikado decided to bring up the question floating around his head. The informant looked at him,

"Hm?"

"Did you plan to go to that shop along?" Mikado voiced it casually as if he didn't really care but was simply curious. But he did care, in fact, he was secretly accusing the man but Izaya didn't seem to realise as he shook his head.

"No way. I usually shop there online or over the phone but I recognised the street name and decided to have a look because I'd never actually been there in person before…" Izaya seemed to study the teen's face and Mikado wondered if the man could read him as well as he claimed he could.

"Are you upset that I took you there?" he asked with a frown. Mikado looked away, watching a few people on the other side of the road as he hesitated, wondering if he should tell the man the truth or not.

"I'm upset per say…" He said carefully, looking at the informant once again. "But it did change the mood a lot."

"I'm sorry, babe." Izaya took the teen's hand in his ignoring the fact people could clearly see them. "I'll make it up to you. We still have a few hours before dinner so we go shopping or to the movies, whatever you like." Izaya gently offered, his voice sincere.

Mikado smiled, glad that the man understood where he was coming from. "Thank you." He stood on his toes to give the man a peck on the lips, not caring if anyone saw them, he didn't know them and Izaya was wearing plain clothes.

It was times like this that Mikado is reminded why he fell in love with Izaya in the first place. He never meant too, he planned to never get emotionally invested because he had been so certain that Izaya was just playing with him at the start of their relationship but moments like this- when Izaya is sincere, thoughtful and caring, made Mikado become serious about them and their relationship.

And despite all the trouble he'd had over the last year, Mikado was so glad he'd fallen in love Izaya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED.  
> If you find any mistakes (spelling, grammar, not grammatically correct, etc.) please notify me so I can fix it!  
> Thank you~!
> 
> (Join my Durarara!! community on discord where we share pictures and talk about the series: https://discord.gg/J3FbzHx )


	4. Magical

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado swore that nothing else in his entire life had ever been so magical.

Mikado followed Izaya closely out of the train station, it was packed as expected of any station in Tokyo so the teen still felt like he was going to get lost if he even looked away from the older man for a second. It didn't help, of course, that it was now dark and he had no idea where they were going.

 _I have no idea what he's got planned but why do I feel like it's going to be something really fancy?_ Mikado thought with a frown. Just from experience, he knew that Izaya preferred restaurants that were very expensive and high class which Mikado didn't have a problem with, he honestly just felt like he didn't belong in such places.

"Where are we going?" Mikado asked, trying to get the man to reveal where they were going to no avail. Izaya smiled down at him,

"It's a surprise." He said playfully. Mikado pouted slightly. He had been trying to get Izaya to tell him all afternoon but it seemed the man was set on keeping it a secret.

Mikado looked around and wondered if it was a seafood restaurant as they approached the shoreline of Tokyo Bay. The cold breeze coming off the water made Mikado shiver slightly. He moved closer to Izaya for warmth which made his boyfriend smile.

Mikado noticed there seemed to be a lot of people standing around as if they were waiting for something.  _I wonder what's going on?_ He wondered curiously.

"We're here!" Izaya beamed, dramatically gesturing to something behind the puzzled teenager. Mikado quickly turned around to be greeted by the sight of a large luxury yacht docked on the shoreline before him. There was a ramp leading into the boat where people in wait staff uniforms were bustling around. It clicked rather fast in Mikado's mind and he turned to Izaya in disbelief.

"We're having dinner on a boat!?" he exclaimed, fairly loudly from the displeased looks of the people surrounding them. He hushed his voice when he spoke next. "There's no way they're going to let me in dressed like this!" he gestured to his jeans and jacket.

"Sure they will babe," Izaya reassured him with a bright smile that showed off his pointed canines. A loud voice from the boat drew their attention on as one of the staff announced that they could now board.

Mikado felt nervous and uncomfortable as they lined up to get on the boat. Most of the people around them were wearing at least semi-formal attire, the women were wearing dresses and the men were wearing suits, even children were dressed up nice.

Mikado could feel their eyes crawling over his skin, he could sense them judging him but every time he looked up no seemed to be paying him any notice. He was positive he wasn't just being paranoid, he could clearly feel the instinctive crawling feeling of someone staring at him.

He watched nervously as Izaya took their passes out of his wallet and showed them to the hostess who read over them. "Welcome, Orihara-sama, Ryugamine-sama. We've been expecting you." The woman smiled widely and Mikado blinked. "We thank you greatly for choosing our restaurant tonight. Your personal waitress Nanako-san will show you to your private room." The two attractive women bowed before them with smiles.

Mikado blinked trying to comprehend why they were treating them so differently from everyone else.  _Izaya must have done something. What though? Did he tell them how rich and influential he is? Did he lie and tell them that we were famous or something like that?_

"See, everything went perfectly." Izaya grinned as they were led through the main dining room to a sliding door at the beginning of a hallway which obviously led to the kitchen from the sound of cooking and clinking plates.

The private room itself was rather large with ivory coloured walls and brown carpets. In the middle of the room was a round table covered in a white tablecloth with seated two plush looking cream chairs. The main eye-catching feature, however, was the large window that made up not only the entire far wall but the ceiling too.

"It is even nicer in person than it is in the photos," Izaya commented as they entered the room. "Here babe." The older man pulled out a chair and looked at Mikado expectedly. The teen blinked for a moment before realising that it was for him and sat down.

It took him a moment to register that Izaya had just called him a pet name in front of the waitress. Mikado looked at the woman who was standing next to the door but she showed no sign of disgust or shock, Nanako just smiled at him.

 _What is going on? Did she not hear him? No, surely she did. Perhaps she's like Karisawa-san?_ Mikado frowned and looked at Izaya. "What's going on?" Mikado whispered leaning across the table.

"Hm? Oh, I informed the staff it was our anniversary." Izaya shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Mikado could feel the blood drain from his face and his stomached dropped.

"You did WHAT!?" he exclaimed, his eyes as wide as saucers. He was so afraid of facing discrimination, especially on their anniversary. He didn't want their night ruined by a passing homophobic staff member.

"Relax, dear." Izaya gave him a gentle smile. "It explicitly said on their website that they openly accepted same-sex couples and have a no discrimination rule. I guess they get a lot of different types of couples on board." He explained thoughtfully.

Mikado was bewildered by the idea of being able to tell someone it was their anniversary.  _I've never been able to tell anyone our anniversary was coming up, talk about how special it is. I've never been able to talk about anything like that, not Christmas, Valentine's Day, Birthdays – I can't gush about it like everyone else does._

_I've never told anyone that Izaya had asked me out, that we're dating or that we're in love._

Mikado was always weighted down by those kinds of things. All the little things that people didn't usually think twice about.  _All the excuses I make, that we make…all these lies we tell everyone – I hate it. I hate it so much…_

"Babe, are you alright?" Izaya's gentle, concerned voice broke Mikado out of his thoughts. He noticed that there were tears in his eyes. They burned as he blinked them away and smiled.

"Yeah, it's just…it's amazing how something usually so small, like going out for dinner as a couple…it's really nice." Mikado's words were a bit scrambled as he struggled to express himself but Izaya understood.

Izaya smiled tenderly and reached across the table to take the teen's hand in his. Izaya's hand was so warm in Mikado's. The teen's blue eyes traveled to the large windows noticing the boat had started to move. The pace was slow but Mikado could clearly see the lights of the city on the shoreline passing by.

Mikado turned his attention back to the table to see there was no dinner menu. There was a small drinks menu but nothing for food. He looked over at where the waitress had been standing moments earlier only to see she was gone.

"Does this place not have menus?" he asked, slightly confused. Izaya shook his head seemingly amused at the question.

"No, it's a set menu." The older man slid a single piece of paper across the table and Mikado picked it up. His blue eyes scanned over the expensive paper and elegant cursive writing of the English letters.

He was very proficient in English, he could understand ninety percent of it fluently but most of the meals, even after reading the small translated Japanese underneath the English – he had no idea what they were. There was a small description under each title but none of it made much sense to him.

"They're all European foods," Izaya stated helpfully, noticing his puzzled expression. "From French to Italian." Mikado realised in relief that the reason he didn't understand the English written was because it wasn't English at all but rather a mixture of different European languages.

"Ah, that makes more sense." He nodded, looking up at Izaya and set the paper down. He admired the man before him for a while. He suited the expensive and lavish surroundings, with his good-looks and poised air he could have been mistaken for a celebrity or a member of some important family.

Mikado had grown up in a very traditionally Japanese manner. His upbringing included learning the tea ceremony and calligraphy from his grandparents, learning how to tend to the house and garden and eating Japanese foods at the chabudai. He wasn't used to western things like fine dining as much as most other teenagers his age probably were.

Mikado wasn't entirely sure that Izaya was aware he grew up in such a manner but knowing the informant, he most likely did. Mikado didn't talk about this life back in Saitama very often because simply put, he didn't like it.

He was sure his mother would try and convince him to come and visit during the summer but he didn't want to go back. As much as he loved his mother dearly and wanted to see her, going back to that town, that house – was not enjoyable in the slightest.

"What are you thinking about?" Izaya's voice brought back the teen's focus. Mikado forced a smile on his face.

"I was just thinking about how different my life is now."

"Oh. Do you miss it? Your old life?" Izaya asked curiously, resting his head on his hand. Mikado didn't hesitate to shake his head.

"Not in the slightest, I love it here. If I never moved here, I would have never met you in person. We would never have started dating and we wouldn't be here right now." Mikado's eyes softened as he spoke.

_Despite everything that has happened since I moved here, how dangerous it is with yakuza, gangs and even murderers running around…I am so much happier here than I ever was back there._

_Life before this…it was like being stuck in a cage. I wasn't allowed to leave, I only got a computer because I convinced my parents I needed it for school… I was basically captive there, I didn't really live… I just went through every day on autopilot._

Mikado lived a very isolated life back in Saitama. He'd never made friends with anyone because he couldn't stand how utterly boring they were. It wasn't that he disliked them because of it, he still got along with everyone and could easily talk to anyone and become friends with them if he wanted to…it just didn't seem worth the effort.

Mikado had always found comfort in watching from the sidelines. He would it so much easier than having to engage with others. He would watch casually and think, he would imagine what was going through the minds of others. Were they happy? Sad? Did they actually like that person? Were they faking just to fit in? Did they hate this place as much as he did?

A polite knock on the door echoed in the quiet room and Izaya called for whoever it was to enter. It was their waitress, Nanako. She stood in the doorway with a smile.

"Entrees shall be served in thirty minutes." She informed them, sounding more refined and polished than Mikado had expected. "Have you decided on what you would like to drink? I must inform you that only one drink per a patron is complimentary." She said sounding well practiced, Mikado guessed she'd said that exact line a hundred times before.

"Sure," Izaya said easily. "I'll have the local craft beer."

Mikado blinked as their attention turned to him. "What would you like, my dear?"

He'd been so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't even looked at the drink menu. He chose the safest option.

"I'll just have water, thank you." He said politely.

Nanako nodded. "Certainly sir, would you like still or sparkling?"

"Still, please."

Mikado focused his attention on Izaya, feeling rude for getting lost in thought so often. It was amazing that Izaya could always keep a conversation, whether he was rambling about something in Ikebukuro, his perceptions on humans or whether he spotted something outside of the window and starts talking about the architecture or history.

Mikado was sure a lot of people would find it annoying but he personally liked it. He loved it when Izaya got excited about things and talked rapidly with a huge smile on his face as his red eyes sparkled. The teen was a naturally quiet person so he liked that someone else could easily keep the conversation going. Of course, he still asked questions and shared his opinions so it wasn't one-sided.

Mikado always learned things when Izaya talked, whether it was about their surroundings, something in psychology, history or literature. Izaya was like a walking encyclopedia of knowledge and Mikado found it not only fascinating but incredibly endearing.

Whoever said that intelligence was sexy was one-hundred percent correct. Izaya, along with being almost unrealistically physically attractive, was disturbingly smart and it only made the teen all the more attracted to him. Honestly, sometimes Mikado felt as if his boyfriend was too perfect to be real, too brilliant and he almost had to pinch himself to remind him that Izaya was indeed real and it made the teen love the man even more.

But Izaya wasn't, of course, all-knowing, once Mikado had asked if there was anything Izaya didn't know anything about and he had admitted that he didn't know much about sports, he didn't really know the teams or the rules of many sports. Which was another thing they had in common because Mikado was terrible when it came to sports.

There was another knock on the door interrupting Izaya mid-sentence. "You can come in," he said after a moment's pause and the waitress entered with two bowls of soup and a plate of French bread.

"Here is your lobster bisque, sirs," Nanako explained as she set the two bowls of creamy orange soup before the two of them. "Would you like another drink, sir?" she asked, Izaya noticing his almost empty beer bottle.

"Yes please, can we please have another bottle of water too?" he asked gesturing to the almost empty bottle of water in the ice bucket. Nanako stated that she would get them one right away.

Mikado curiously tasted the soup with his spoon. He never tried something like it before and he was eager. He found it had a surprisingly flavourful and true to its appearance in texture. It was quite delicious.

He watched as Izaya tried it and smiled, seeming satisfied with it. The informant was a notoriously picky eater only. Several meals came and went all being equally nice, though, Izaya seemed on the fence about a few of the dishes.

"Babe look, it's the rainbow bridge." Izaya stopped what he was saying and pointed outside the window. Mikado looked outside to see they were approaching the famed suspension bridge. His blue eyes widened in wonder as he looked at the lights dying the whole bridge rainbow.

Mikado had never seen it before. It was beautiful, the lights were reflected in the water, making the bay glitter all different colours. Mikado had always considered the city to have a time of magical charm, especially at night but this was something different. The bridge was almost futuristic looking, Mikado stared in awe as they passed under it.

The next thing he caught sight of was Tokyo Tower. Amongst the dark high rise buildings surrounding it, it was a bright beacon of orange, it stood out strongly and dwarfed all the buildings surrounding it.

"Wow." Mikado murmured in complete and utter awe. The city really was so beautiful. Once it was out of sight, Mikado turned back to the table, back to Izaya who was staring at him with the dopiest smile on his face, his eyes shone with adoration. Mikado's cheeks flushed and squirmed slightly under the affectionate gaze.

"W-what?" he murmured feeling self-conscious, his heart was hammering in his chest. The way Izaya was looking at him…it was taking his breath away. He could basically feel the man's emotions pouring out of his gorgeous red eyes, he couldn't take it. He felt like he was going to explode.

"You are just too precious, baby." Izaya murmured, his voice so heavy with warm emotion. Mikado felt like he was going to melt into a puddle right where he was sitting. He squirmed, his face burning as Izaya chuckled and leaned forward before frowning.

"You're too far away." The older man stood up and dragged his chair across, moving it so he was sitting next to Mikado instead of opposite him. Mikado shuffled his chair even closer to Izaya. He had been thinking all night that he wanted to be closer.

Izaya took his hand in his and Mikado's eyelashes fluttered as the older man gently kissed it. The feeling of his lips on his hand made the teen shiver pleasantly. As they met eyes, Mikado saw Izaya's eyes darken and focus on his lips as he leaned in.

Mikado also leaned in, eager to feel the older man's lips on his. His eyelashes dipped and his lips parted slightly.

_Izaya…_

A knock on the door frightened the teen and he hastily pulled away from his lover. "Relax, dear." Izaya murmured with a gentle smile, he quickly leaned forward to peck Mikado on the lips before telling the waitress to enter. Mikado could feel the blood rushing to his face as he looked at his lap, too embarrassed to look up for a moment. He peeked at Nanako who as always, had a big smile on her face as she set their dessert before them.

"Here is your dessert."

Mikado blinked, it was a singular plate with a half a dozen bite-size version of deserts on it from tiramisu to crème brûlée, they were decorated with real flowers and complicated designs. In the corner of the plate, fancily written in what looked to be chocolate sauce was 'Happy Anniversary.' in English.

Mikado looked up at the waitress with wide blue eyes, a slight blush still on his cheeks. He was completely blown away that the restaurant would happily give them such a dessert to celebrate their anniversary.

"Congratulations Ryugamine-sama and Orihara-sama." She sincerely bowed with a smile before quietly leaving the room. He looked at Izaya and was once again blown away by his expression. His tender and loving smile that reached deep into his red eyes. Mikado met his gaze shyly.

"Happy anniversary baby." Izaya murmured softly before leaning forward to kiss the teen. Mikado tilted his head to accept the kiss, closing his eyes. It was so sweet, his heart hammered against his ribs as he kissed back, their lips moving in an unhurried sync.

Mikado's entire body felt warm when they separated, his chest felt fuzzy. He wanted to cry, he felt so overwhelmed by everything. He'd never be able to understand why Izaya loved him the way he did but he would never be more grateful for anything else in his entire life.

Izaya was his everything. Mikado couldn't even apprehend the words to explain how much he loved Izaya. He was everything to the teen and while they had some issues, he swore Izaya was no doubt, the person made for him- Izaya was his other half, his true love, his _soul mate_.

_Izaya…god I…._

"I love you Izaya," Mikado whispered, his voice breaking with the weight of his tender emotions as he looked into the man's eyes. Izaya smiled and the teen felt his heart skip a beat,

"I love you too Mikado." He murmured tenderly before leaning forward to press their lips together once more, their hands tightly intertwined.

_I love you so much, Izaya…please…don't ever leave me…stay with me forever..._

* * *

"It's kind of cold isn't it?" Mikado shivered as he spoke. Once dinner was all over, Izaya suggested they go out onto the deck to enjoy the view and the feel of the water. It was nice but the breeze coming off the ocean was quite brisk, it was enough to make his arm hairs stand on end under his jacket.

Mikado regarded Izaya worriedly. The older man was only wearing a t-shirt under a thin vest after all. "Are you alright?" he asked with a concerned frown. Izaya was quite sensitive to the cold to the point that he often joked he was cold-blooded like a reptile of some sort.

"Yeah, it's worth it." Izaya smiled down at the teen, leaning on the railing, all but huddled against Mikado, sharing the warmth. The teen smiled and moved closer to Izaya until the side of his body was snuggled against the other man's.

They had chosen a rather dark and secluded part of the deck rather than the main area where the rest of the patrons were so they could be alone. They cuddled up against each other, watching the passing city and its reflection glittering on the water like a million stars.

"You know…" Izaya murmured quietly. Mikado looked at him seeing an almost wry smile on his lover's face. "I never thought I would fall in love. I always loved humans… but not in the way everyone else experienced love." The older man looked up at the sky, his voice uncharacteristically quiet and sincere.

Mikado watched him with careful blue eyes knowing that Izaya was laying himself bare before him. He was scared of saying something wrong so he waited for the older man to finish with warm and tender understanding.

"It took me a while to figure out the love I felt was different from everyone else's…but nonetheless I was fine with it, I guess once I figured it out, I thought it was below me." There was a hollow emptiness to Izaya's red eyes as they portrayed his emotions, he looked so lonely, remembering that time in his life.

The words hurt, Mikado found it incredibly saddening that for years Izaya had thought that he didn't need love that the whole idea was below him.  _He must have been lonely all this time, telling himself that he didn't need love. I wish I could replace all those times he felt alone…replace them with happy memories…replace them with our love._

Mikado still remained quiet, listening to the man. Izaya was talking to him, was talking about his feelings which was so rare for him. The teen wanted to hang on to every word, every glimpse into Izaya's heart and soul.

"I used to laugh in the face of those who claimed they had fallen in love. I found the concept so ridiculous, that someone would happily give everything up in the name of love but…I guess the joke was on me." Izaya met the teen's eyes with a wry smile, his red eyes almost sad and Mikado could feel his heart clench painfully.

Mikado blinked when Izaya wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him against his warm chest. "Because love…this feeling…it's probably the most precious feeling in the world." The last part left the man's lips as a whisper as his forehead met Mikado's.

"Izaya…" Mikado breathed, wrapping his arms around the older man, emotion bubbling in his chest and taking his breath away.  _I'm so glad, I'm so glad I was able to share this feeling with you. I promise you'll never be alone again._ _I'll never forget how thankful I am that you love me, how blessed I am._

_I'm so happy that we found love._

_I'm so happy that I fell in love with you._

The fact that Orihara Izaya loved him was something Mikado didn't think he'd ever be able to understand. Every time Izaya showered him with affections, it felt like a dream. He felt untouchable like he was on cloud nine and everything was right in the world.

"I'm so glad…thank you…" Mikado whispered, tears stinging his eyes. A breathless chuckle escaped Izaya's lips, his hot breath fanning the teen's face with how close they were.

"What are you thanking me?" the man smiled. Mikado closed his eyes,

 _For loving me…_ he thought before opening his eyes. "For everything." His smile was warm and tender.

"Yeah…thank you too." He breathed, the corner of his eyes crinkling as he smiled. Their lips met and Mikado kissed Izaya, relishing in the feeling of his soft lips and the taste of his tongue as they pulled each other close until nothing could have fit between them.

In moments like this- it was easy to forget all their troubles, all their problems and just exist in the moment that was so beautiful and precious.

They kissed - in the shadows in the corner between the cabin and the deck, as the glittering lights of city shone like jewels on the waves - they held each other in a way that spoke louder than words and Mikado swore that nothing else in his entire life had ever been so magical.


	5. Happy Anniversary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Mikado was confident enough to speak his honest thoughts, he'd say he was excited for when they got back to the hotel room.

If Mikado was confident enough to speak his honest thoughts, he'd say he was excited for when they got back to the hotel room. Yes, he was too bashful to admit it aloud but as they walked through the lobby and got into the elevator he was giddy with excitement, eager for what was to come.

He'd never had much of a libido before meeting Izaya but it seemed the older man had awoken something inside of him because he could never get enough. He wanted Izaya all the time to the point he could be considered a slut but he just loved being connected with the person he loved. He loved the raw display of love and affection that was sex. Honestly, he just loved Izaya.

 _I want to see Izaya in a yukata…he'll be so beautiful. I want to slide my hands along his long, pale legs as they peek out from underneath that silky fabric._ Mikado imagined it, swallowing heavily.

He glanced at Izaya out of the corner of his eye as the elevator made its way to the floor of their room.  _Does he feel the same way?_ The teen wondered.  _I mean…he's pretty perverted so he's probably thinking of all sorts of things…._ Mikado squirmed, growing more excited by the thought.

Mikado adored all the things Izaya had ever done to him, even the more adventurous stuff like using whips and tying him up. The teen had become pretty perverted himself over the duration of their relationship, not that he would admit it aloud.

He could help it though, he loved Izaya so much that everything he did just felt too good.

Izaya's expression was a default one – his smirk. Mikado had to wonder what kind of thoughts the man hid behind that smile. Izaya noticed the teen staring and turned to meet his eyes.

"Are you excited?" his smirk widened into one of genuine mirth as his eyes sparkled mischievously. Mikado wanted to be honest, just to see the man's reaction. How would he react if Mikado said yes? That he wanted so badly to see him wrapped in silk? But he couldn't say it if he tried, flustered, he averted his eyes, his cheeks blushing red as Izaya chuckled.

The teen felt a bit awkward when he entered the hotel room, he slipped off his shoes and looked around once again. He'd never really understood how these things were meant to progress. He'd never had to think about instigating sex with his boyfriend because if he wanted it, all he had to do was look at Izaya and the informant would instantly jump him, easily able to read the want and desire in his expression.

Izaya however, would instigate sex with a kiss, a suggestive purr or if he was feeling especially horny, he would just full on grope Mikado directly. It never felt forced or awkward like that, it was always very natural and Mikado had to wonder if the older man was born with the natural skill of seduction.

"Shall we take a shower?" Izaya asked, already on the other side of the room beside the bed. Mikado blinked realising that he had once again zoned out, right in the hallway too.

Mikado stuttered a bit as he agreed and hurriedly collected his toiletries from his bag at the foot of the bed, his eyes lingered on the shiny black boxes sitting so innocently on the bed seat before he followed Izaya into the bathroom.

It was a lot smaller and less luxurious than the bathroom at the previous hotel they had stayed at but the teenager didn't really mind as long as it worked and made him clean. Mikado easily stripped off his clothes, he was not embarrassed at being naked in front of Izaya anymore, they had been dating for a year and the informant had seen his body a hundred times.

But he knew Izaya still looked at him when he undressed like it was something he could never grow old of and Mikado understood because he also watched Izaya.

Izaya was so utterly beautiful. He was lean but Mikado could see the muscles rippling underneath his snow-white skin despite how slim he looked. His long legs were soft and supple, his manhood, that was a few shades darker than the rest of him, was expressive even while flaccid.

Izaya was so gorgeous, he looked like a piece of art but if Mikado looked closely and ran his hands over the older man's milky skin he would feel dozens of scars. All in various sizes, colours, and depths no doubt from various fights, falls and accidents over the years.

Izaya was human, he had flaws but Mikado couldn't help but breathe in the sight of him every time he laid eyes of the older man. He looked into Izaya's deep red eyes, the man smirked knowing all too well that Mikado was staring and enjoying it.

Mikado's cheeks flushed but he wasn't ashamed, there was no reason for him to be when he loved Izaya.

Once they were both entirely naked, Izaya politely opened the door to the wet area for him and Mikado stepped inside before the older man followed, closing the door himself.

The teen turned on the shower, setting the temperature and moving over so they could share the spray of the water. They began the usual routine of bathing themselves, occasionally getting distracted by the other person's body and staring.

"Hey?" Izaya asked his voice deep with what Mikado recognised as arousal. The teen looked at the man half expecting to be pushed against the wall or kissed but he was simply met with Izaya's molten red eyes staring at him, water dripping down his skin.

"Can I watch you prepare yourself?" Izaya asked, his eyes speaking volumes of his desire. Mikado blushed furiously in a mixture of shock and embarrassment.

Mikado had never let Izaya watch as he prepared himself, he always asked the man to leave since the very first time they'd had sex. Preparing himself was basically just cleaning his insides which was not only embarrassing but also kind of gross if you actually thought about it too much.

Sure, he did insert his fingers to spread the soap around but it wasn't about pleasure nor foreplay. He never purposely spent time stretching himself out any more than he needed to, he just did it just to clean everything.

"I don't think…it's what you're imagining." Mikado stated with a small frown. Izaya smiled, his eyes becoming nothing more than devious slits.

"I still want to watch."

"It's…not fun, are you sure you won't be grossed out?" Mikado shifted uncertainly.

"I promise," Izaya swore honestly. The teen chewed on his bottom lip, thinking it over.

"Alright then…" he finally agreed. He guessed it was a special night and he knew that once Izaya got an idea, he got pretty hung up on it. Which meant that if Mikado refused his desire to see him prepare himself, it would only grow stronger.

"Yay~! Thank you, babe." Izaya beamed, excitedly. "I'll watch from the bath, alright?" the man's eyes lit up like that of a child. Mikado watched as Izaya climbed into the steaming bathtub and rested his arms on the edge, eagerly watching Mikado.

The teen sighed to steady himself. He swallowed nervously and decided to try to forget about the man's eyes burning into him as he poured liquid soap onto his hand, coating his fingers with it evenly as if it were actual lube.

Mikado braced one hand on the wall in front of him and spread his legs. His face felt hot, he knew Izaya was there watching. He peeked over his shoulder to see the informant watching him with sharp, hungry eyes.

Mikado bit his lip and looked away. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth as he pushed one of his fingers inside of himself, he moved slowly urging his tight walls to loosen. Once his finger was knuckle-deep, he waited until he was used to the feeling. He took a few deep breaths and started moving his finger around, coating his inner walls with soap, trying to rub them clean.

Mikado chewed on his lip and his legs trembled as he added another finger. He moved them around swirling them to try and reach everything, clean everything. His body trembled, he could still feel Izaya's eyes on him which made his body flush with embarrassment.

The sound of splashing water made his eyes snap to Izaya. The man had shifted to the other side of the tub to get a better view. He met eyes with Mikado, a predatory smirk on his face as he licked his lips slowly.

Mikado could feel his walls clench around his fingers at the sight. He blushed bright red, he was looking into Izaya's eyes with two of his fingers knuckle deep in his own ass. He felt something stir inside of him, something akin to arousal but not quite – excitement, thrill? He couldn't pinpoint it.

Mikado looked away quickly, now too hyper-aware of the man's eyes watching his every movement. He could barely even focus on what he was doing.

 _Damn…I have to continue…I still have to rinse it out…come on, the faster you do this, the faster it will be over._ He told himself but he felt so hopelessly ashamed about what he had to do next - it was probably the most embarrassing thing.

With a loud exhale, Mikado withdrew his fingers making sure to wash them carefully under the water before he grabbed the detachable showerhead off the hook. He tried his hardest to ignore Izaya's presence entirely, he tried not to think at all as he used two fingers from his free hand to spread open his entrance before he pointed the showerhead directly inside himself.

The feeling made him squirm. The feeling of the hot streams of water assaulting his sensitive inner walls was pretty uncomfortable, he could feel the water flowing in as well as out which made him bite his tongue to muffle a whimper of discomfort.

Soon, Mikado withdrew the showerhead, putting it back in place. He could feel his entire face burning, he could feel Izaya's eyes glued to his backside as his fingers kept his ass spread as water trickled out of it. It took a few moments for the water to fully empty out. It reminded him of when he had to empty himself of Izaya's cum, though that was a bit harder to do.

_It's over…thank god…_

Mikado sagged against the wall when he was done and peeked at Izaya. The man leered at him and Mikado knew that the man must have enjoyed the show. "W-was it what you expected?" the teen asked him quietly and Izaya grinned.

"Even better." The older man stood up slowly, shamelessly revealing his fully erect dick to the teen who blushed and felt his own member twitch, filling a bit. He watched as Izaya climbed out of the bath, his eyes drawn to the throbbing length between his legs.

"Let's go get dressed baby, I can't wait much longer." Izaya purred into the teen's ear, his fingers trailing along his hip as he walked past. Mikado trembled and nodded eagerly, no longer able to hide his excitement.

Mikado easily put on his yukata. It was royal blue with the decorative pattern of white and dark blue waves with orange koi dancing between them. He smoothed the silky fabric out over his chest and double checked his black coloured obi was secure.

He'd actually worn a yukata multiple times before at festivals and events in his hometown so he found it easy to put out on. He waited in the hallway looking at the art on the walls.

Izaya had suggested they change in different parts of the room so the reveal would be more exciting. So Mikado had taken to the hallway while Izaya was in the main room.

"Mikado?" Izaya voice called out and Mikado walked down the corridor to the entrance of the room.

"Yeah?"

"Are you ready?" the older man sounded surprisingly sheepish which made the teen curious.

"Yes…?" Mikado tilted his head as he replied, wondering why Izaya sounded the way he did.

"I can't…put this on right," Izaya admitted, sounding defeated. Mikado chuckled,

"I'll help you." He walked into the room with a smile but as he looked up to see Izaya, he was completely taken back.

 _Whoa…_ his mouth fell open as he looked at the man. Izaya stood by the bed, his red yukata decorated with black lotuses was crooked and uneven but utterly beautiful nonetheless. The colours of the yukata brought out his red eyes, midnight coloured hair but and made his skin look like snow.

 _Ah, he's so beautiful…he doesn't even look human…I want to touch him so badly._ Mikado couldn't stop staring at the older man who noticed the look of blatant desire in his azure eyes.

"Come here." Izaya beckoned the teen with his hand with a smirk on his lips, his voice sweet, warm and seductive. Mikado didn't hesitate to take his hand and let himself be pulled into the man's arms.

Mikado's lips immediately sought out Izaya's as he wrapped his arms around his lover's shoulders and pulled him closer as their mouth fit together. Izaya's tongue brushed against the teen's lips and Mikado opened his mouth, using his own slick organ to meet with Izaya's in a passionate dance.

Mikado was pulled down onto the bed when Izaya fell back and the teen braced his arms on either side of his lover's head so he wouldn't crush him with the weight of his body. Straddling Izaya, Mikado curled his tongue around the older man's, rubbing and sucking in a way that made his erection swell.

He licked the roof of Izaya's mouth making the older man moan and tremble. Mikado smirked slightly into the kiss, still assaulting the man's mouth. It had taken him a long time to figure out that Izaya's weak spot was the roof of his mouth. Every time Mikado ran his tongue along it, Izaya would let out a delicious moan or tremble sweetly.

Mikado pulled back, panting as he admired the man whose cheeks were slightly flushed. Izaya was breathing just as heavily as he stared up at the teen.

"You're so aggressive today~" Izaya purred, running his hands down the teen's waist. His red eyes were the colour of rubies, darkened with lust. "I like it." Mikado's eyes followed as the other man licked his wet lips, lapping up the mixed saliva that had escaped their mouths.

That expression made Mikado shudder, his dick twitching under the cover of the yukata.  _Maybe I should take a more assertive role today…I usually let Izaya handle everything because he seems to really enjoy being in charge…I would like to be in charge too._

Mikado smirked. He was fired up, seeing Izaya in such an alluring outfit had him eager to do all sorts of things. The teen moved so he was lying on his side next to Izaya and slid his hand into the part of the man's yukata, tracing his fingers over his soft, silky legs.

Izaya pulled the teen into another kiss. Mikado squeezed Izaya's soft thigh making the other man shiver. He teased higher, almost to the older man's erection before he trailed his hand back down his milky thigh.

"Ahh…"

Mikado moaned and tilted back his head as Izaya trailed kisses down his throat, the man's hands easily slid from his hips to his ass, giving it a rough squeeze that made the teen shudder and moan.

"Mhm…!"

Mikado took hold of the man's erection, stroking the hardened heat at a lazy, teasing pace. He could feel Izaya's precum coating his fingers as he moved.

"Ah!" Mikado cried out as Izaya's finger rubbed against his entrance over the fabric. His dick twitched and he resisted the urge to rub against that finger knowing it couldn't enter him despite how much he wanted it too.

Mikado released his hold on the informant's dick which made Izaya look at him curiously. "U-um…can I…use my mouth?" Mikado asked breathlessly. Izaya's finger stopped teasing him and the man smirked.

"Of course baby, you can do whatever you want." Mikado's eyelashes fluttered at the sultry tone of his lover's voice

Mikado moved onto the floor, looking up at Izaya who was sitting on the edge of the bed. Izaya's red eyes were smoldering with lust, a smirk on his lips. Mikado felt a shudder go through his body looking at the utterly breathtakingly sexy man before him.

Mikado's body felt like it was on fire as he slid in hands into the older man's yukata. His dick was hard, straining painfully as pre-cum beaded at the tip. Mikado's mouth watered at the sight of Izaya's dick in front of him, his eyelashes heavy with desire.

He licked his lips as he leaned forward to kiss the leaking tip to taste the sweet liquid beading there. His hands held Izaya's inner thighs and spread his legs wide as he licked up the underside length of it.

Mikado loved the way it tasted, he couldn't exactly describe it but it was so overwhelmingly Izaya. Even the scent made his head spin. Mikado parted his lips and swirled his wet tongue over around the sensitive head before devouring the full length into his mouth.

Above him, Izaya gasped slightly and his hand threaded into the teen's hair. Mikado started bobbing his head, relaxing his throat so he could take all of Izaya into his mouth. He moved his tongue, tracing the veiny underside as he tried to deliver as much pleasure to Izaya as he possibly could.

"Ah, Fuck… Mikado!" Izaya groaned, pulling at the teen's hair. Mikado looked up at his lover seeing that he had his eyes closed, completely lost in the pleasure. The teen closed his eyes, concentrating on the hot member in his mouth.

He loved it. He loved the way his jaw stretched and salvia escaped the corner of his mouth. His mind was so full of Izaya - it was all he could taste, all he could smell. It was so good, he felt dizzy.

"Mngah!" Mikado moaned around Izaya's dick when something rubbed against his hard erection that been throbbing and begging for attention so much the slight touch was almost too much. Soon, Mikado found himself moving his hips, desperately rubbing his needy dick against Izaya's foot

A breathless chuckle made the teen look up, Izaya was watching him with a smirk, his eyes shining with sadistic pleasure- the pleasure he got from dominating Mikado. The teen shivered under those eyes, loving the way Izaya looked at him with such animalistic desire.

Mikado pulled back, panting messily as he lapped up the pre-cum leaking from Izaya's dick. His jaw hurt and his throat burned as he kissed, licked and sucked along the man's length, one of his hands massaging Izaya's balls.

Mikado wanted the reward, he wanted to see Izaya coming, wanted to taste his release. He opened his mouth to swallow the man again only to have Izaya grab the back of his head and thrust roughly into his mouth. Mikado moaned as the tip of his lover's dick hit the back of his throat taking way his ability to think for a moment.

Izaya thrust roughly into the teen's mouth, Mikado moaned and trembled, loving the rough treatment. He could barely breathe, his throat burned but his dick was wet and twitching with arousal.

Mikado felt tears escape his eyes as he looked up at Izaya whose expression was one of bliss. "Ah…hah…I'm gonna…!" the older man moaned. Mikado moved his head in time with the man's thrusts.

"Ah fuck! Mikado!" Izaya moaned loudly, pulling at the teen's hair as his dick twitched, shuddered and shot cum down the teen's throat. Mikado's eyelashes fluttered at the feeling, gulping it all down eagerly. He kept licking and sucking until he knew Izaya had completely stopped cumming before he pulled back, a string of fluid connected his lips and Izaya's cock for a moment before it broke away.

He licked the cum off Izaya's dick, enjoying the sweet taste of it. When it was completely clean once more, he licked his lips and gave a pleased sigh, his blue eyes glazed over with satisfaction. He could feel the heat of Izaya's cum in his stomach, deep inside of him, the fine sticky residue coating his mouth and throat aroused him more than he'd ever admit.

He looked up at Izaya, enjoying the sight of him sitting there, post-orgasm with his legs open wide, face flushed and body sweaty. The man gave the teen a feral smile and pulled him up onto the bed once more, flipping them over so Mikado was below him with Izaya pinning down his arms.

Mikado moaned when Izaya kissed him, the taste of the man's own release mingling as their tongues moved together in a sloppy mess. Wet kissing noises filled the room, they were so loud in the teen's ears it made him even more aroused. He ground his hips up into Izaya's desperately trying to get his throbbing dick some relief.

"Mhm…guhg…" Mikado moaned as Izaya broke off the kiss and assaulted his neck with kisses, bites, and licks. Mikado squirmed, his body shivering with the electric pleasure Izaya was giving him. Izaya chuckled against his skin before he pulled back to meet the teen's eyes.

Mikado felt so hot, he wished that Izaya would hurry up and take him. He watched eagerly as Izaya's hands pulled the top section of his yukata apart. His chest heaved up and down as he panted, wanting and waiting for Izaya to fuck him.

The air felt cold to Mikado's hot, sweaty skin as Izaya's hands slid over his chest. He shivered and bit his lip, begging the man to do something before he went insane. He cried out when Izaya pinched one of his nipples, a shock of mixed pain and pleasure shooting right to his groin.

He moaned needily as Izaya latched into his other nipple with his mouth, nipping and swirling his wet tongue around the sensitive bud in a way that made Mikado whine.

"Ah…! Please! Izaya…please!" Mikado begged, tears making their way down his flushed cheeks. He couldn't take it anymore. He wanted Izaya inside of him so badly, he wanted that scorching heat deeper inside of him than anyone else could ever reach. Izaya smirked, his red eyes full of lust and pleasure.

"I love it when you beg." Izaya purred, his voice deep and husky in his throat. The raw heat in his voice made Mikado shiver. God. He loved Izaya like this, he was completely different from how he usually was.

His perfect composure completely broken, pupils blown wide with desire, a feral smile that was almost animalistic on his lips, the sheen of sweat on his skin, a flush on his cheeks. Mikado thought Izaya looked best like this when he completely let himself go. He was completely honest during sex with nothing to hide and Mikado utterly loved it.

Mikado happily let Izaya undo his yukata, it was too hot, and he felt like he was suffocating in it. He wanted it off, no matter how good Izaya looked in it, he wanted to feel Izaya's skin on his so he too pulled at the man's obi, making his yukata fall loose. Izaya leaned back and shrugged the material off his body, throwing on the ground next to the bed. He leaned over Mikado and dimmed the lights with the dial next to the bed, all while looking into Mikado's eyes.

"Can't have anyone else see this, can we?" Izaya whispered huskily as he dimmed the overhead lights completely leaving only the light from the desk lamp and the city outside to illuminate them but the Mikado could see Izaya perfectly.

Mikado trembled when Izaya spread his legs and put them over his shoulders before he situated himself between them. Mikado waited anxiously for what was coming next.

Izaya's hand wrapped around his erection at the same time his tongue brushed against his entrance. Mikado moaned loudly, his body jerking. He threw his head back and pressed his hips into Izaya's touch.

The pleasure was mind numbing as Izaya's fist pumped his erection and his tongue teased the teen's entrance before slipping inside. Mikado shrieked with pleasure his eyes widening. The feeling of Izaya's hot, wet tongue inside wriggling inside of him made him grab the fabric of yukata below him with an iron grip, his breathing rough and uneven.

"Oh god…! Izaya…! Ah…!" he moaned, bucking into the man's touch desperately. "Please, please, please!" he begged tearfully, unable to take it anymore he wanted Izaya inside of him. He wanted to come with Izaya's dick deep inside of him.

Mikado whined needily when Izaya pulled out his tongue, he already missed the touch but he knew what was next is so much better. Izaya grabbed the lube from the bedside table and poured it on his hand, Mikado watched hungrily as the man lathered up his hard dick, his insides twitching needily.

Mikado's heart hammered in his chest as Izaya gave him a sweet kiss before lining his dick that the teen's entrance. Mikado bit his lip at the feeling of the tip of Izaya's cock teasingly rubbing against his entrance which twitched needily.

"Ready baby?" Izaya breathed, nibbling on Mikado's earlobe. Mikado's hips twitched as he moaned yes. Mikado moaned loudly as the thick, hard heat of Izaya's erection slid into him, stretching his walls with a more than pleasurable burn.

"Ahhhh….! Izaya…!"

He moaned his lover's name as it slid deeper and deeper until their hips were flush. Izaya's dick was hot and deep, Mikado felt like he was melting and he loved it so much. His body trembled uncontrollably, it felt so good, so heavenly.

His dick jerked as it all became too much, Mikado's vision blacked out for a moment as his orgasm hit and he came, violently spewed his viscous liquid from his erection with a strangled scream of Izaya's name.

"Oh fuck, Mikado!" Izaya groaned as the teen's inner walls clamped down on him, twitching and massaging him as he trembled with the aftershocks of his climax. The teen panted his mind nothing but slush, his eyes glazed over. He slowly became coherent again and looked up at Izaya who smirked and licked his lips.

"You came just from me putting it in?" he purred. The teen trembled, he could feel that Izaya was still rock hard and deep inside him. "I haven't cum yet Mikado, how cruel." Izaya taunted, rolling his hips. Mikado moaned as a hot stab of pleasure shot through his body.

"Don't stop." He breathed, looking up at the man with sultry eyes.

Izaya chuckled his voice low and sensual. "I wasn't planning too." Izaya pulled out his erection until only the tip inside before thrusting back in, Mikado's back arched and he moaned loudly as Izaya set a fast pace, hitting his prostate every time.

Mikado thrust his hips back in time with the man's pace, drooling messily as moans spilled from his mouth. He couldn't stop them, his mind was completely overwhelmed by the pleasure so much that he couldn't do anything but moan as his body moved completely on instinct.

"No…!" Mikado babbled as he wrapped his legs around Izaya's waist. "I can't take…! Ah…! Izaya…! I'm…gonna lose…my mind!" he moaned, tossing his head back as Izaya grabbed his waist with a tight grip, trying to stop Mikado's body moving from the force of his thrusts.

Izaya's name spilled from his lips in a mantra between moans and choked gasps. Mikado begged, begged. Begged for release from the intense pressure of his orgasm building. Mikado could feel his dick twitching, leaking pre-cum like a tap.

"Fuck...Mikado, you're so gorgeous." Izaya groaned. The words seem to echo in Mikado's mind and he struggled to open his eyes to look at Izaya. The man is sweaty, flushed and so fucking sexy it only made it harder to think.

Mikado could feel his climax rapidly approaching. He was almost scared because it felt so good. "No! I can't! Fuck! Ah! Ah! Izaya!" he moaned, grabbing onto Izaya, desperate to find something solid to cling too, frightened he'd be swept away by the force of his own forth-coming climax.

"Ah, Mikado I'm gonna come!" Izaya groaned in his ear which made Mikado shudder and moan louder.

"Me too! Me too!" he panted, his face a mess of tears and drool.

Izaya moaned deeply as he came, his dick twitching and jerking as he spilled hot, thick cum deep inside the teen.

Mikado clung to Izaya, clawing at him to try and grab onto something as his orgasm hit him with the full force of a tidal wave. His entire body seemed to give out and he trembled uncontrollably as he came. His vision went completely white and his body went limp as he fell onto the bed, Izaya collapsing on top of him.

Mikado panted heavily, laying there dazed as his mind tried to reboot. His entire body felt like it was on fire and it took a few minutes before he could even think properly again. He brushed Izaya's sweat-soaked fringe from his face, combing it back.

Izaya looked just as messed up as he felt and Mikado smiled at him. He cleared his throat a bit before speaking.

"Happy Anniversary." He managed, his voice hoarse and breathy. Izaya chuckled and kissed him gently before pulling back.

"I love you." He murmured and Mikado can tell by looking in his eyes, so clear and honest the man really loved him. His chest swelled and he smiled, so happy that tears burned his eyes.

"I love you too."

 

* * *

 

Thank you to pantlesschibi for proofreading for me!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED.  
> If you find any mistakes (spelling, grammar, not grammatically correct, etc.) please notify me so I can fix it!  
> Thank you~!
> 
> (Join my Durarara!! community on discord where we share pictures and talk about the series: https://discord.gg/J3FbzHx )


	6. Lazy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He loved lazy days with Izaya. Those days when the outside world didn't matter and their world consisted of nothing but each other.

Mikado woke up with a quiet groan, he wanted to roll over and go back to sleep but something was urging him to look at the time. He cracked his eyes open, hissing at the bright sunlight as he squinted as his groggy mind trying to make sense of his surroundings.

He knew that he was laying on Izaya's chest, he glanced up at the man who was clearly awake while scrolling through his phone with a bored expression. Mikado moved to rub the sleep out of his eyes and Izaya looked at him, realising he was awake.

"Good morning, dear." Izaya greeted him affectionately. Mikado stared at the man for a few moments before his mind which still dazed with sleep made sense of the words.

"Morning…" he mumbled. "What time is it?" the teen asked, rolling off his boyfriend so he could sit up but once he did he could feel the evidence of last night start to leak out of him making him shiver, luckily his lower body was still covered by the sheets.

"It's about 12:30," Izaya replied, glancing at his phone and Mikado repeated it in disbelief.

"Yeah. With how hard we did it last night, I'm surprised you didn't sleep longer." Izaya said with a smirk. Mikado blushed at the memory. The night before they had done it a lot, so much that Mikado's lower back ached a little bit.

Mikado noticed that Izaya's neck was littered with love bites, some were light, some were darker and others were the plain imprint of Mikado's teeth. The teen knew he looked no better, in fact, he probably looked worse.

Somehow, he always felt a bit smug looking at the marks he'd left on Izaya. Mikado could admit he was possessive of the informant so seeing him covered in marks he made was pleasing. It didn't really bother him as he knew Izaya was the same. The elder man was just as possessive, if not more so.

Izaya was also a lot more open about it. He wasn't afraid to state that Mikado was his. He often used the word 'mine' and while some people might find it repressing or old fashioned, Mikado really liked it, he felt proud each time he heard it. Plus, in his mind, he thought of Izaya as his as well.

"Are you admiring your handiwork?" Izaya teased, making Mikado tear his gaze away from the marks. "Kya~ Mikado! You're so possessive~" Izaya squealed in his best impression of a girl. Mikado snorted, amused by the show.

"Like you're one to talk." He teased back, moving closer to his boyfriend so their chests were pressed against one another. Izaya chuckled in the back of his throat and grinned.

"You love it, baby." He said, kissing the teen. Mikado didn't bother to deny it. They kissed lazily for a while before Mikado's stomach rumbled loudly making them pull apart.

"I think we're overdue for something to eat." Izaya chuckled looking highly amused, Mikado blushed. He didn't want to get out of bed though, he wanted to spend the entire day lazing around with Izaya. Making out with him slowly for as long as they wanted, napping when they wanted, and talking about anything that came to their minds.

He loved lazy days with Izaya. Those days when the outside world didn't matter and their world consisted of nothing but each other. Plus, if Mikado got up that meant he would have to have a shower and clean himself out and he really didn't have the energy for that right now.

"Well, we can go out and get something or we can get room service," Izaya suggested, playing with the teen's hair, Mikado all but purred at the touch.

"What time do we have to check out?" he asked curiously, from what he knew, most hotels requested you either leave in the morning or early afternoon.

"Well, I kind of knew we'd sleep in late so I actually booked the room for another night so really we don't need to check out until tomorrow morning."

"Eh?" Mikado blinked. "Seriously? You did that just so we could sleep in?"

"Well, we could stay another night if you wanted to," Izaya suggested and Mikado thought about it. He had to get ready for the new school year, he still had to buy his books and everything and he only had a week before school started so he really should go home.

However, he didn't want to go back just yet. He wanted to spend more time alone with Izaya. "I want to spend more time with you." He said aloud and Izaya smiled happily.

"I do too. We'll stay another night then." He beamed and Mikado nodded. "So…what do you want to do for lunch?"

"Hm, would you be disappointed if I told you I wanted to have a lazy day in bed?" Mikado asked, tilting his head questioningly. Izaya grinned and wrapped his arms around the teen's waist.

"Not at all" the older male pulled Mikado into another kiss and the teen melted into it.

"So…" Izaya gave a cheeky grinned when they separated. "Shall we order room service?"

Mikado grew excited, he'd never had room service before. "Yeah!" he agreed eagerly. 

* * *

 

Mikado walked closely to Izaya through the streets, soaking the atmosphere. Lights from buildings, neon signs and stores lit up the city like a light show. They had gone out for a casual dinner after spending the entire day lazing around together.

"It's so nice to be able to walk throughout the streets and not have to worry about things flying at my head," Izaya said cheerfully. "I'm so on guard back home I almost forget that people always feel like this walking around."

"Oh, look it's Tokyo Tower." Izaya pointed out the huge lit up tower at the end of the block. "Do you want to go there?" Izaya asked looking excited, his red eyes lit up. Mikado stopped himself from chuckling at the older man's eager expression and smiled.

"Sure, I've always wanted to go there." Mikado agreed happily, they purposely bumped shoulders as they walked, ignoring the people around them, chatting about their surroundings.

Mikado was a lot less anxious about being seen with Izaya when they were out of Ikebukuro and Shinjuku. Of course, he knew that the informant was probably easily recognised everywhere in Tokyo when he was in his peculiar but distinctive attire so the fact Izaya was wearing plain jeans and a black hoodie right now also added another layer to comfort.

Mikado quietly lapsed into his own thoughts while Izaya made up stories about any person he laid his eyes on. It was one of the older man's hobbies.

After much thought, Mikado had figured out that he was indeed, a homosexual. He wanted to believe he was halfway 'normal' but the more he thought about it – he realised he'd never really found women appealing.

He had looked up porn and naked photos like any normal teenager but he'd never found it arousing. He had never really touched himself to the fantasy of a woman, usually, he'd ignore it until it became to uncomfortable and just kind of do it without thinking about nothing in particular.

He knew that he found women atheistically pleasing rather than physically or sexually. He'd freaked out a little bit realising it, his sexuality was viewed as immoral in Japan, after all, it was something many people would scorn him for if they found out.

One day, probably, he'd have to tell his parents which would no doubt end up with him being disowned. It wouldn't really bother him as much if he didn't care about his Mother as much as he did.

He already felt guilty about leaving her behind to come to Ikebukuro- leaving her with his Father of all people.

"Are you alright babe?" Izaya asked, breaking the teen's train of thought, Mikado looked at his lover.

"Yeah, I just got lost in thought again." He forced a smile on his face and decided to focus on enjoying himself rather than thinking about things he couldn't change.

The view from Tokyo Tower was incredible, it was so much better than Sunshine 60 and the government buildings in Shinjuku. It was so high and the city sparkled around them like a sea of lights. Mikado stared in awe at the view, he could see all the cars moving on roads far away, he could see all the high rises in the distance, the red light markers for each building to warn low flying planes.

"I really love this city." Izaya murmured, his voice warm and affectionate. Mikado glanced up at him to see a content look on his face, his red eyes soft. Mikado could see how much the city meant to Izaya, how much he adored it and why he didn't want to leave.

Mikado watched Izaya as his red eyes scanned over the city, his eyes lighting up as he pinpointed something. Mikado didn't know what he found more endearing the sight of the city or Izaya looking at it.

His gaze traveled back and forth between the two of them. He thought about all the people he'd met by coming to the city. Not only did he met his boyfriend but he'd met Anri, Celty and everyone else.

Just moving here had given him a life more interesting than anything he could have dreamed of but for some reason, he wasn't as satisfied as he thought he would be. Izaya's words echoed in his mind ' _I know you crave an extraordinary life but in a year or so, this city will become completely ordinary to you.'_

Mikado liked his life, he loved his boyfriend, he lived in an amazing apartment, went to a good school, was at the top of his year level… the only thing he didn't really have was friends. He had Anri for sure, but the girl was distant and hard to connect with, he understood though, she'd been through a lot in her life.

Mikado's focus was brought back by Izaya gently taking his hand.

Izaya stared at their hands, his thumb gently caressing over the teen's knuckles. Mikado watched slightly confused, the air had changed slightly around them and Mikado had no idea what was going on.

"You know…I've really missed this." Izaya started, his voice truthfully and serious. "Just being able to spend time together. I know I've been really busy with work, I'm sorry. I know these last few months have been hard on you especially with everything that happened."

Mikado lowered his eyes slightly. It had been hard, he'd been struggling and trying to figure out what to do next. He hadn't felt so alone in a really long time. Mikado looked up again, meeting Izaya's eyes which were brimming with sincerity.

"I do love you, Mikado. I know I hurt you but I do love you." Izaya promised, his hold on Mikado's hand tightening. "I want you to always remember that."

Mikado felt breathless, Izaya could confess his love a million times and it would always make his heart beat so hard it was about it leap out of his chest. He could feel his eyes growing wet as he smiled. "I know Izaya, I love you too." He murmured emotionally, squeezing Izaya's hand.

Mikado glanced at Izaya when he sighed as they made their way back to the hotel. "I have to go back to work tomorrow. I'll no doubt have a hundred emails to sort out." The man groaned and Mikado chuckled at his boyfriend's light-hearted whining.

"Well, we better make sure we make the most of tonight," Mikado said cheerfully with a bright smile.

"Oh my~ Mikado, you're so daring." Izaya purred teasingly, though his eyes darkened considerably as he smirked and Mikado blushed slightly.

He didn't actually mean for it to sound the way it did but he shrugged sheepishly, it didn't really matter, it's not like Mikado didn't want to have sex. Though he was sure he'd be tender tomorrow, Mikado was just happy they could enjoy their anniversary together.

Being their first, Mikado knew that their one year anniversary would hold a special place in his heart for years to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED.  
> If you find any mistakes (spelling, grammar, not grammatically correct, etc.) please notify me so I can fix it!  
> Thank you~!
> 
> (Join my Durarara!! community on discord where we share pictures and talk about the series: https://discord.gg/J3FbzHx )


	7. Back to School

The first day of school wasn’t really something Mikado had been looking forward too, and now, on top of that, he’d found out that his school uniform was a bit too small now. He didn’t really feel like he’d grown all that much or gotten taller but apparently, he had. The blazer’s sleeves were a bit short, resting on his wrist and revealing the shirt underneath. His pants also stopped about an inch above his ankles.

“This isn’t good.” He muttered. Izaya who was sitting on the bed behind him, looked up from his phone.

“What’s wrong?” he asked curiously.

“I think my uniform must have shrunk in dry cleaning, it’s too small,” Mikado explained with a frown looking at himself in the mirror.

Izaya laughed. “It’s more like you’ve gotten taller.” The man grinned, jumping up from the bed and walking over to the teen.

“Do you think so?” Mikado asked and Izaya nodded. “I know so. I would probably say you’re maybe an inch and a half taller than when we first met.” Izaya put his hands on the teen shoulders, looking at him in the reflection of the mirror.

Mikado was pleasantly surprised. “Do you think I’ll get taller?” he asked the older man who blinked and shrugged.

“I would say so, who knows maybe one day you’ll be taller than me.” He smirked as if he were imagining it. 

“Hm, if that’s the case my uniform is going to look pretty terrible when I finish school,” Mikado said making a face.

“Nonsense. You know Raira doesn’t enforce the uniform, you can wear what you like but if you really want one, I’ll buy you a new one.” Izaya offered as his arms slid around the teen’s waist. “Hell, use that bank card I gave you. I know you haven’t been using it.”

Mikado averted his eyes. He couldn't bring himself to use it knowing it was Izaya’s money. “I gave it to you to use, so use it. If not, it’s just going to sit there and I’m going to keep adding money to it.” Izaya pouted, resting his chin on the teen’s shoulder, meeting eyes with him in the mirror.

“Adding money to it!?” Mikado exclaimed in shock and the man grinned in the mirror.

“Of course, I add money into it every month.” Izaya said innocently. “You could say it’s an allowance since the amount your parents give you is barely enough to buy groceries. Plus, I told you you’re mine and you know what?” he gave a sly smile.

“What?” Mikado frowned unimpressed.

“I take good care of my things.” The older man smirked, his red eyes glittering. Mikado shivered as Izaya nuzzled and kissed the side of his neck.

“Mh…Don’t…” he protested, though he didn’t really want him to stop. “I have to do my speech today.”

“Hm~” Izaya hummed melodically. “Well turn around then~” he teased and Mikado did just that.

Mikado wrapped his arms around Izaya’s neck as their lips met. Mikado parted his lips when Izaya’s tongue requested entrance, letting out a pleased purr as their tongues twisted together. Mikado pulled away a few minutes later, slightly breathless.

“We’ll buy you a nice new uniform.” Izaya smiled. “Sadly, I’m going to be very busy so you might have to go on your own.” The older man kissed his forehead and Mikado nodded.

“Okay then.” Mikado agreed.

_I’d much rather go with you though, I don’t mind waiting._

* * *

 

 

Mikado had been nervous as always about giving a speech at the opening ceremony. But just like the first time he’d done it, it had gone perfectly. He’d spoken easily and thankfully, didn’t make a fool out of himself.

Mikado walked through the busy halls towards the notice board where the year’s classes were posted.

_I hope I’m in the same class as Sonohara-san, I don’t really want to be alone. Though, I guess I could make more friends…I doubt it though. I like Sonohara-san, she’s a nice girl. Possessed by a demon sword but still a nice girl._

“Oh, Sonohara-san!” he called out to his friend spotting her in the crowd. She turned to look at him, a small smile on her face.

“Good Morning, Ryugamine-san.” She greeted him in her quiet voice.

“Did you find out which class you’re in yet?” he asked, curiously looking at the huge crowd in front of the boards. Everyone was trying to see which class they were in, if they were with their friends or not.

You could easily spot the ones who are left behind, they looked sad as their friends told them they would hang out at lunch time and that they’ll be fine. Mikado knew that wasn’t how it went most of the time. Usually, friendship groups that were split up ended up drifting apart, the members joining different groups in their new classes.

“No, I haven’t,” Anri answered his question. “I thought I would wait until it was less crowded.” Mikado smiled at his friend,

“I don’t think that is going to happen for a while.” He frowned, “I guess we’ll just have to squeeze our way in there.” The two of them shared an uncertain look before nodding and trying to squeeze through the crowd apologising and bowing to people until they were able to see the board.

Mikado’s blue eyes scanned the boards until he found his student number and name.

_Ah, I’m in class 2-A._

He looked beside him to see Anri looking at the same class roster as him, he followed her eyes to see her name.

“Oh! We’re in the same class.” Mikado realised with a smile and Anri nodded also looking relieved. “I’m glad.”

“Yeah, me too…” Anri nodded with a small smile. “Please take care of me again this year.” She politely bowed.

“O-oh right! Please take care of me too.” Mikado bowed in response.

It turned out being in the same class wasn’t the only thing that was going to stay the same this year as they were elected class representatives once again, this time, however, they didn’t volunteer but rather voted in by some of their previous classmates that said they did a good job.

Mikado didn’t mind. It was easy enough to do but they had to have a meeting after class with all the other representatives and Mikado really didn’t feel like it. It had been a week but he was still feeling the effects from his and Izaya’s anniversary, or rather, the excessive sex they’d had.

Granted for the first week of school, Raira only had half days because they believed it helped student’s transition better from the holidays to a normal school routine so even with the meeting he would still get home earlier than on a normal school day.

The meeting was quick and basically exactly like the one they’d had the year before. They introduced themselves and the teachers explained what their responsibilities were. Mikado found the whole thing to be rather boring.

_Maybe I should ask Sonohara-san if she wants to go out for some lunch or something. It’s been a while since we’ve hung out together. I’ve been so caught up with everything that’s happened with Masaomi and Izaya…_

The meeting ended and Mikado hurried after the girl. “Hey-“ he started to call out to her when someone cut him off by calling his own name.

“Um, excuse me! Are you Ryugamine-senpai?”

Mikado turned to see a boy wearing the Raira uniform. At least, Mikado thought it was a boy – he almost looked like a girl. He looked like a middle schooler if not an elementary schooler. He was short with large brown eyes and longish, styled dark blue hair.

“Uh, and you are…” Mikado knew the other teen had been at the representative meeting but he struggled to remember his name. “Kuronuma-kun?” he asked unsurely.

“Yup! Kuronuma Aoba, a first year.” The boy introduced himself, his eyes sparkling excitedly. “I was so surprised to hear you introduce yourself! It really is you!”

Mikado frowned, confused.  _Who is this kid? Have I met him before? No, surely I would have remembered if I met someone as loud as he is…_ Mikado’s memories came up empty and he was sure he’d never met the younger teen before.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Don’t worry. It’s our first time meeting, I just learned your name a few minutes ago.” Aoba beamed, having noticed Mikado’s troubled look.

 _What the…what is up with this kid? Is he a stalker or something?_ Mikado shuddered at the thought of having his very own Harima Mika.

“Oh, I see…” Mikado replied carefully. “Why were you so surprised then?” Aoba’s brown eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Because…oh.” The small teen looked around cautiously before lowering his voice. “Aren’t you in  _The Dollars_?”

Mikado felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over his head. He looked at the teen before him with wide eyes, his mouth gaping open. He instantly closed it when he realised.

 _Damn it, why didn’t I keep my face neutral!?_ He scolded himself.  _How does this kid know I’m in The Dollars anyway? How much does he know?_ He thought suspiciously, wondering how he should act.

“What…What do you mean?” he asked but his voice came out as more of a squeak. In his pocket, his two phones vibrated.

“Oh, you finally got it,” Aoba said with a grin. Mikado carefully pulled out his old red phone from his pocket and read the message, which was from The Dollar’s mailing list that read:

 **[I’m recruiting members from Raira today! Please let me know how it’s going at other schools!]** It was sent out by the username Wakaba Mark.

Mikado tried his best not to narrow his eyes. He disliked that people randomly went out and added members now. That was how so many stupid thugs had ended up in the group. He could feel his dislike for the teen in front of him growing already.

“Are you saying…?” Mikado trailed off, looking at Aoba who grinned.

“Yup! I’m Wakaba Mark. I was about the sixth hundredth person to join the Dollars, but you remember how the registration site got trashed and went down? My names not on there anymore…” he looked disappointed.

_Sixth hundredth huh? That’s when we were still in charge of recruiting members, we only lost control around the eight hundred mark. It could be possible he was an early member but why do I get the feeling he’s lying?_

“H-how did you know I was part of The Dollars?” Mikado asked, uneasy. He didn’t understand how Aoba had found out. The teen gave him a confident smirk that made Mikado’s skin crawl.

 _There’s something wrong with this kid…_ his brain seemed to warn him.

“I wasn't quite sure, but…remember when The Dollars had that huge meetup in real life a year ago? You were there in the middle, talking to the woman that was our target, right? The image just stuck in my head ever since!”  Aoba exclaimed.

_Ugh…I didn’t think anyone would notice._

The Dollars was a unique organisation that increased its power through the internet. They were categorized as a colour gang but the ties that bound the group together was loose at best, yet extremely wide-ranging.

They were connected through cell phones and the Internet— hidden bonds that rarely took physical form. Anyone could be part of the gang from the teenage girls to the housewives you passed on the street could be in The Dollars. The ability to plant that seed of doubt was The Dollars’ shield. And the possibility that it was true, was The Dollars’ weapon.

The Dollars were a gang with an eerie form of expansion. Their founder was shrouded in mystery, and almost none of its members knew who the leader was. But at that precise moment, the very founder and source of that mystery was sweating buckets at some uncomfortable questions from a random kid at school because he’d made the simple mistake of  _standing out in a crowd_  of all things.

“Umm, uhh, you don’t have the wrong idea, do you?” Mikado asked, averting his eyes.

 “You got that e-mail.” Aoba pointed out with an almost smug smile.

“Ah. G-good point.” Mikado shuffled awkwardly on his feet as he wondered what to do.

“So you do keep it hidden! Don’t worry. I can keep a secret! I’m very good at protecting others’ secrets, in fact!” Aoba said, his eyes shining with reverence. Mikado didn’t believe him for a second.

“But what was so special about that night? Ryugamine-senpai, are you actually an officer of the Dollars or something?” Aoba asked curiously.

“Huh? No! I don’t think The Dollars even have those! I-I’m just an errand runner, that’s all!” Mikado protested, shaking his head. He had to get out of this somehow, surely it wouldn’t be too hard.

“Oh, really? Well, anyway, I’m just excited to know that someone from the Dollars is so close nearby!” Aoba seemed to squirm with excitement, looking like a small child. Mikado knew he looked younger in appearance too but the boy before him had him beat by a landslide.

Mikado sighed and looked around. “All right. But you shouldn’t talk about it at school, and I’d appreciate it if you kept this as secret as possible.” His voice was rather curt and cold but Aoba beamed delightedly.

"Sure thing! But I have one request of you…” the small teen trailed off, tilting his head.

“Request?” Mikado echoed, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“I don’t really know much about Ikebukuro. So can you show me around the city?” Aoba smiled brightly and Mikado blinked, he’d been expecting something worse.

“I’m not sure, I don't think I'll be able to...I'm pretty busy at the moment,” Mikado replied hesitantly.

“That’s alright! It doesn’t have to be right away! Why don’t we exchange contacts?” the smaller teen suggested cheerfully.

Mikado hesitated, he didn’t really want to give any of his contact details to the strange boy. He took out his old red phone once again, thanking Izaya for making him keep it. Izaya had suggested that Mikado use his old phone as a proxy, having another Dollar’s account logged onto it and a number to give people he didn’t really trust.

They exchanged numbers and Aboa gave him a huge smile. “Thank you so much Ryugamine-senpai!” He beamed. “I hope to hear from you soon!” and with that, Kuronuma Aoba ran off.

 _Ah, I have a seriously bad feeling about this._ Mikado thought worriedly as he walked away to try and find Anri.

Mikado quickly gathered his things and hurried to find Anri, luckily she hadn’t left yet and was still putting on her shoes.

“S-Sonohara-san, something odd just happened to me.” The teen fumbled as he put on his own shoes. Anri tilted her head questioningly. “A kouhai approached me, he wanted me to show him around Ikebukuro.” He explained awkwardly.

It took a few moments for Anri to reply. “You don’t want to show him around?” she asked quietly. Mikado frowned,

“Well…” Mikado trailed off as they walked down the street. “I don’t really know Ikebukuro that well, I’ve only been here a year.”

_Hmm…I know a few places. Izaya’s taken me to heaps of places around Ikebukuro and Shinjuku but they’re all date spots. I have no idea where teenagers usually go._

“I don’t know much either….” Anri frowned looking regretful. They were both quiet people who enjoyed staying indoors either reading or on the internet. “Kida-kun would know…”

“Yeah…” Mikado agreed.  _Masaomi always dragged us around to arcades and stuff, we’d go to the movies and bowling too…if he was here, he’d know exactly- No!_ Mikado stubbornly stopped his train of thought.  _Masaomi isn’t here, he’s not a part of my life anymore. He is in the past!_

 “We could try asking someone we know?” Anri suggested quietly as they got closer to park. They thought hard about who they could ask, a lot of the people they knew weren’t really fit to ask like Celty and Izaya which they were closest too.

“What about Karisawa-san and Yumasaki-san?” Anri suggested after some time and Mikado blinked. It was probably the best option they had, the two otakus were very well versed in the area but their fervent love of everything 2-D worried Mikado.

They often lapsed into crazy conversations that not even he could understand. They were loud and had no filter at all. But in all honesty, they were the only people they could ask.

“Alright. I think they’re basically the only ones we can ask.” He agreed, taking out his old phone where he had their contacts. He asked them when they are free and if they can meet up soon.

“I don’t know how long it will take them to reply.” He said sheepishly as they walked through the park. It was almost depressing, they had walked this way so many times after school but now there wasn’t an overexcited blond flirting with every woman they came across, exclaiming embarrassing things and jumping around like a lunatic.

It was lonely but nice at the same time. Mikado didn’t have to deal with people looking at him strange nor feel like he was bothering people. It was peaceful and surprisingly nice but when he glanced at Anri, she looked so sad.

 _She misses him a lot._ Mikado realised sadly. They sat down on the bench and Mikado’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

“Ah, they replied.” Mikado smiled reading over the message. “They said they’ll meet us at the karaoke parlour at two o’clock.” He told Anri who nodded.

“Well, I have some things to do before then so I’ll have to take my leave,” Anri said quietly, Mikado blinked.

“Oh sure, no worries!” he nodded frantically. Anri stood up and gave him a small bow before walking away.

Mikado sighed and watched her go. “What am I going to do before then?” he wondered. He stood up and grabbed his bag.

“I guess I can go get some lunch, maybe get changed…” he eyed the cuff of his blazer distastefully.

 

* * *

**Thank you to** pantlesschibi **for proofreading for me! It was a great help!**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED.  
> If you find any mistakes (spelling, grammar, not grammatically correct, etc.) please notify me so I can fix it!  
> Thank you~!
> 
> (Join my Durarara!! community on discord where we share pictures and talk about the series: https://discord.gg/J3FbzHx )


	8. Helpful Guides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They seemed pretty keen to give him advice, The two of them began to argue among themselves about which spots were best to show a teenage boy around Ikebukuro.

_[A new beginning!]_

Now dressed casually in black jeans, his dark blue jacket, and sneakers, Mikado flipped through the magazines in front of him. He frowned slightly as his eyes skimmed the different articles,

_**[** _ _Everything gets refreshed in spring!_ _**]** _

_**[** _ _Have you found new people since moving to Ikebukuro? If you have, leap up to the next step by following this guide to enhance your Ikebukuro life by meeting the perfect partner!_ _**]** _

_I wonder if magazine writers actually know how ridiculous these articles sound? Teen magazines are so cheesy…_ Mikado thought, closing the magazine and putting it back on the rack only to pick up another.

It was ironic that the teen was buying such magazines after a year of living in Ikebukuro. He'd never realised how much he relied on Kida to lead him around the city as some messed up version of a tour guide that only took him places 'where the hot babes are'.

Mikado realised that almost everyone he had met in Ikebukuro was because of Kida. It kind of pissed him off really, to be known as 'Kida's friend' even though the fake blond was long gone.

He decided the magazine in his hand wasn't as bad as the others and tucked it under his arm before reaching out for another one. He didn't really want to buy them but the realisation he didn't know much about the city he so adored annoyed him.

Plus, He wanted to be a good guide for Aoba and give him a nice tour though that was mainly because he felt threatened by the fact the kouhai knew he was in The Dollars. He knew he shouldn't be so worried, there were thousands of people in The Dollars so it didn't mean anything if people found out he was one of them but Horada and his men knew Mikado was the gang's 'leader'.

And while Izaya had reassured him that he'd taken care of all the Yellow Scarves members he could find while saying he wanted to clean up the mess Namie had made, there was a high chance Izaya could have missed a few of them.

Mikado thought back to Aoba. He'd gotten bad vibes from the kouhai and decided he was not to be trusted despite his innocent appearance. The teen thought about the knife that had been strapped to his ankle every day since Izaya had got it for him. Just like they had said, he'd gotten used to it quickly. He didn't want to have to use it but if Aoba really was a threat…Mikado narrowed his eyes,

_Then, I'll have to take care of him one way or another._

The teen took the two magazines to the counter and paid for them, slipping them inside his satchel bag as he left the convenience store.

 _Ugh, if Izaya finds these, he's going to laugh his ass off for sure._ He grimaced as he made his way to the karaoke parlour next door, it was one of the better parlours in the area known for having good food and a vast selection of songs.

 _I wonder if Izaya would sing karaoke?_ Mikado wondered thinking about his boyfriend. He imagined he would, despite Izaya's lifestyle and job, the man was rather childish at times and enjoyed simple but fun things to the point of watching children's anime. Mikado guessed it was because doing things like that gave Izaya's mind a well-earned rest.

After saying he was meeting someone, Mikado got the room number from the employee at the desk and made his way there. On the sixth floor, the opened the door to the large room to find everyone already waiting for him.

"Ya-hoo! Mika-pon!" Erika's loud, familiar voice greeted him at full force.

"You're late. We already got a big pitcher of oolong tea!" Walker added in equally as cheerful.

The two otakus were dressed rather fashionable as usual but they sat surrounded by a mountain of manga, books, games, anime DVDs, and merchandise that was stacked around them in a way that looked hazardous. Mikado had to seriously wonder how in the world the two of them managed to carry so much stuff around all the time.

Still in her school uniform, Anri was sitting next to Erika was holding a figurine of a scandalously dressed anime girl, her face was bright red as she stared at it for a while before turning it to peek up its skirt.

Mikado blinked,  _What…what is she doing?_ He thought completely stunned. Anri looked up and they met eyes before she shrieked, passing the figurine back to Erika. Mikado pressed his lips together so he wouldn't laugh at the display.

"Uhh…can I sit next to you Sonohara-san?" Mikado couldn't help but smile in amusement, his voice containing a slight laugh.

"Um, yes!" the quiet girl with the glasses said obviously flustered, her face red. "W-welcome Ryugamine-kun." She stuttered as he sat down next to her. He didn't know why she was so flustered it wasn't like Mikado cared but it was funny to see her so embarrassed.

"Sorry about showing up late. Sorry to you, too, Karisawa-san and Yumasaki-san," Mikado apologised, bowing his head. The two otakus smiled kindly.

"It's okay. We've got plenty of time in the afternoon." Erika beamed.

"That's right. Essentially, we're free to hang out during the business hours of any bookstore." Walker nodded and Mikado smiled. He relaxed into the sofa and crossed his legs, next to him Anri stayed rather awkward and uptight.

An employee came into the room to take a drink order and Mikado ordered some soda. Once he was gone, the two otakus turned to him.

"So, what did you want to ask us?" Walker asked sipping his oolong tea.

"Well…I feel awkward even having to ask…" Mikado began before sighing heavily, trying to think of the right words. "But can you…teach us how to guide someone around Ikebukuro?" he asked sheepishly.

The two otakus looked at each other before turning back to Mikado. "Sure!" Erika exclaimed. "Who are you leading around?"

Mikado explained to them that it was a kouhai from school who asked him to show him around but he wasn't confident. The two seemed to understand where he was coming from.

They seemed pretty keen to give him advice, The two of them began to argue among themselves about which spots were best to show a teenage boy around Ikebukuro.

At first, the pair was recommending Animate and other hard-core nerd spots, but Mikado was relieved that they eventually settled into more mainstream, recognizable names.

Mikado's eyes widened as they unloaded names of places, information, and locations onto him. Erika seemed to notice the teen becoming overwhelmed.

"Why don't we just come with you?" she suggested cheerfully.

"Huh?" Mikado blinked.

You're not going to have much time to learn detailed info about the places we're listing off for you. So shouldn't we just go with you? Plus, we don't know what this younger kid is like. It might be best to make adjustments to the plan after we meet him in person." She suggested, sounding perfectly reasonable.

"Hm…" Mikado wasn't sure how to respond. It would be a huge help, of course. But he didn't know what kind of impression they would leave on someone like Aoba. They looked normal, sure, but all they had to do was open their mouths to reveal their status as ambassadors from the 2-D world.

 _They won't tone it down for anyone either…I don't really mind their rambling but Kuronuma-kun…_   _Well, they're approachable, and they're pretty nice. It shouldn't be a problem…actually, maybe he'll leave me alone if he doesn't like it. That would work too._ Mikado smiled.

"Hellooo? Mika-pon~!" Erika waved her hand in front of his face, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, sorry." He smiled. "Are you sure you're okay to do that? It won't cause you any trouble will it?" the teen asked concerned.

"Oh, didn't we tell you?" Erika asked, waving off his concerns cheerfully. "Yumacchi and I are freelancers!"

"Freelancers?" Mikado echoed curiously, tilting his head.

Erika took a sip of her oolong tea and continued, "That's right. Dotachin's a tradesman. Togusacchi lives off the earnings from running the apartment building that he and his brother inherited from their parents. The reason we can hang out with them so much is because we all set our own hours. Of course, until a year ago, everyone except for Dotachin was unemployed."

"Oh…" Mikado said in realisation.  _Now that she mentioned it… it's easy to tell that they aren't the types to have salary jobs, given that they are meeting me in the middle of a weekday like this._

 _Honestly, I always see them hanging around in casual clothes, no uniforms or anything…I always thought none of them had jobs._ He thought, feeling a bit guilty.

"I make money by selling engraved accessories on the internet, and would you believe what Yumacchi does? What is it, ice sculpting? People pay him to make those ice sculptures you see at parties and stuff." Erika explained with a huge grin.

"Whoa, really?" Mikado looked at Walker in surprise.

"I'm not even that great. I don't have exclusive arrangements with a hotel or anything reliable like that, so I never know when my income will dry up. But the character sculptures I've done for publishers' parties lately have been a big hit, so if I can survive on that, it's my dream job. I wanna be the next Kaiyodo." Yumasaki smiled almost shyly, referencing a famous figurine maker.

Mikado looked at the two them in pleasant surprise. He looked at Anri and based on how wide her eyes were, he wasn't the only one who assumed they were unemployed. Given the piles of books they seemed to be buying every single day, their income was pretty sizable. Of course, knowing them, they were probably cutting into their food budgets to squeeze in more books.

He bowed to the pair. "In that case, I'd be delighted to have your help! Hope to see you tomorrow!"

But when Walker followed that up with, "In that case, we'll start off with a pilgrimage of all the holy sites of Ikebukuro that appear in anime and manga," and Mikado's gratitude quickly plummeted into regret.

 _Ah…what have I done?_ He laughed nervously.

He asked himself that several times over the next two hours as he was subjected to the two otakus singing anime songs neither he nor Anri recognised. Luckily, much to his surprise, the two otakus were actually pretty talented singers so he guessed it wasn't too bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED.  
> If you find any mistakes (spelling, grammar, not grammatically correct, etc.) please notify me so I can fix it!  
> Thank you~!
> 
> (Join my Durarara!! community on discord where we share pictures and talk about the series: https://discord.gg/J3FbzHx )


	9. Chaos is Undoubtedly Incoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are being set in motion, welcome to the new school year.

"What are you watching?" Mikado asked curiously, wandering into the lounge room drying his hair with a towel. It was about nine at night and Izaya was home. He'd come back rather early with a big smile on his face stating he just completed a major job with a great pay off.

Izaya swallowed the French toast he had made for dinner when he'd gotten home. "Babe, you gotta come and see this." he waved the teen over who approached curiously looking at the TV to see in was currently live.

And Celty was being chased by a motorcycle cop while Shooter was in horse form.

Mikado's blue eyes widened in shock as he stared at the TV instantly becoming concerned.

"Even I didn't see this coming," Izaya commented and Mikado leaned on the back of the sofa watching the TV worriedly, biting his lip and looking at his overly entertained boyfriend.

"I suppose that cop is this Kuzuhara Kinnosuke I keep hearing about? He either has the best or worse timing!" Izaya exclaimed with mixture amusement and exasperation as he watched the TV with narrowed eyes.

 _Ah, he's in one of his moods…_ Mikado thought with a sigh before his eyes were drawn back to the TV as the announcer starting rambling frantically about the 'black bike' and such.

 _What a mess…_ he sighed once again. He liked Celty, he really did. She was a wonderful person but amazingly she was almost too naïve at times which caused troublesome circumstances like the one now.

 _What's going to happen if they actually catch her one today?_ The teen thought troubled.  _Wouldn't they send her away and do experiments on her?_ Mikado shuddered just thinking about it and prayed that it would never happen.

"For better or for worse, Celty-san always manages to exceed my expectations of her," Izaya commented his red eyes glued to the TV. Mikado rolled his eyes, his lover always thought he could predict everything. The older man was currently in what Mikado eternally referred to as 'informant mode'.

"It looks pretty bad. I'm kind of worried about her." Mikado said which made Izaya look up at him. "I mean if they catch her won't be in danger? She should be trying to hide what she is for safety's sake."

"That would be the smart thing to do my dear." Izaya agreed. "The problem is modern society decided that things like Celty don't exist. Usually, the government and military would help cover up her existence for her…but not in this case, it's kind of hard to do when she openly flaunts it like this." the older man gestured to the TV.

"Oh?" they looked back at the TV. Mikado stared with wide eyes. As the reported rambled, the night sky had turned black like Celty's shadows, something like wings were spread out in the night sky.

"Whaa…what is she doing?" Mikado exclaimed exasperatedly. It was a massive hand glider, in the center was Celty still stilling on top of her noble steed. It was massive, way too big to be discrete. It was almost as wide as a building and nearly as big as a fighter jet blocking out any clouds or stars in the night sky.

Mikado could only watch in disbelief as Celty guided at low-altitude over Ikebukuro. The reporter was rambling about following the 'mysterious object' as more police raced after the dullahan. Just before the crew took off a traffic cop pulled in front of them, giving them instructions that they weren't allowed to break the law. It soon cut back to the studio where the shows two hosts sat stunned for a few moments before talking.

"Ugh…it's out of control" Mikado sighed shaking his head as he turned away from the TV and made his way to the kitchen as Izaya made a call to god knows who.

 _This city always has something crazy going on. I guess I'll take this as my start of the school year._ The teen opened the fridge and got out a small bottle of iced herbal tea.

Izaya spoke into his phone as the teen re-entered the lounge room with his drink. "Ah, I finally got through. Hey Celty-san, looks like you're in trouble." The man greeted cheerfully and Mikado looked at him in disbelief.

 _He called her!?_ He thought in disbelief.  _I hope he's doing it to help her._ He sighed and sipped his cold tea.

 _"_ Are you wondering how I know what's happening to you right now? Don't worry, I don't have you bugged or anything. Besides, Shinra would spot something like that right away since he's so desperate to hog you all to himself, he wouldn't let anyone invade your privacy."

 _Oh Izaya, please just get to the point and tell her she's on live TV._ Mikado resisted the urge to groan.

"I have to say, that was a really clever idea, making a fake version of yourself and your bike out of shadow to put on that glider." Izaya sounded sincerely impressed. Mikado's mouth fell open in disbelief.

_Is he serious? If she really did that then that's amazing! But how did he figure that out? I thought for sure it was her._

"Oh, don't worry," Izaya told the dullahan. "They'd have to know you really well to see through that ruse. But I didn't see a coloured helmet and I know escaping the motorcycle cop at the rate that thing is going is impossible." Izaya spoke in such a confident way it almost sounded like he was bragging.

Mikado sipped his tea, starting to lose interest in the conversation when the next thing Izaya said made him suspicious. "Well, starting tomorrow things are going to get kind of crazy so I thought I would give the heads up."

 _What is he talking about? He hasn't said anything to me…unless it won't affect me. Still, why do I get the feeling he's up to no good again?_ Mikado sighed.  _I sure fell in love with someone troublesome. Why couldn't I have been seduced by a nice, simple man?_

"So until things calm down, absolutely do not come to my office. I'll email you with the details but I didn't want you showing up before you could see it."

"Well, best of luck." Izaya chirped before hanging up on the headless woman. Mikado frowned deeply and Izaya glanced back at him and smiled innocently.

Mikado just sipped his tea. He knew better than to ask too many questions. He wanted to keep their work and private lives separate so instead of asking and stressing about it- he was going to bed.

"I'm gonna go lie down. I want to try and go to sleep early." Mikado murmured, stepping forward to press a kiss into Izaya's forehead. Izaya smiled and pulled him down to kiss him on the lips.

"Alright baby, goodnight." He said tenderly, it was such a big difference from what he was like just moments earlier.

"Goodnight," Mikado replied before making his way to the bedroom. He got into bed and made himself as comfortable as possible but after about an hour, he knew that sleep wasn't going to come so easily.

The teen sighed and grabbed his phone from its charging station on the bedside table.

.

.

.

**-TAROU TANAKA HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**Tarou Tanaka:**   _Oh, no one's here._

**Tarou Tanaka** **_:_ ** _I suppose I'll check back in a bit._

**-TAROU TANKA HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-**

**-THE CHATROOM IS CURRENTLY EMPTY-**

**.**

**.**

Mikado frowned for a moment and pressed his face into his pillow trying once again to go to sleep but it was no use, his phone under his pillow.

.

.

.

**-BACURA HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**Bacura:** _Hmm?_

**Bacura:** _So nobody's here?_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Okay,_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Now I can write anything I damn well please on this unclaimed ground._

**_Bacura:_ ** _Listen up, Johnny._

**_Bacura:_ ** _When I was in elementary school,_

**_Bacura:_ ** _A girl in my class played my recorder._

**_Bacura:_ ** _When I caught her in the act,_

**_Bacura:_ ** _In exchange for keeping her secret, I said,_

**_Bacura:_ ** _"_ _What you really want to put your mouth on is my face."_

**_Bacura:_ ** _So rather than my recorder, she locked lips with my whistle instead._

**_Bacura:_ ** _And when another boy saw it happen, he stuck his fingers in his mouth and tweeted away._

**_Bacura:_ ** _HAHAHA_

**_Bacura:_ ** _It's both a true anecdote and an American-style joke!_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Cool,_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Now I just spam the chat to wash that backlog away._

**_Bacura:_ ** _Sound off!_

**-SAIKA HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**_Bacura:_ ** _1_

**_Saika:_ ** _good evening_

**_Bacura:_ ** _2_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Eek!_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Evening._

**-TAROU TANAKA HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Good evening._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _What are you doing, Bacura?_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Good…eve…_

**_Bacura:_ ** _C'mon, laugh._

**_Bacura:_ ** _Everybody laugh at meeee!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Aha ha._

**_Bacura:_ ** _You're really laughing?!_

**-KURU HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**-MAI HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**_Kuru:_ ** _I do not approve of the act of mocking a person upon your first meeting, but as you have requested it yourself, I am prepared to mock you as mercilessly and thoroughly as I can manage. And now…_

**_Mai:_ ** _(lol)_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Kya-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ah-haaa. Aha, ah-ha-ha! Fweh…fweh-heh… Kya-haaa!_

**_Mai:_ ** _(lol)_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Evening…_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Wait,_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Who are you?!_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Wow, you sure found a way to laugh that causes both despair and rage!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Good evening._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Is this our first meeting?_

**_Saika:_ ** _good evening_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Please forgive me. This is the first time that I have met everyone here. We will be visiting this chat room occasionally from this point onward and have come to pay our respects. My name is Kuru. Normally, I would have introduced myself as the first point of order, but I believed that it would have been rude to Bacura to put my introduction before the mockery of his very impassioned joke._

**_Mai:_ ** _I'm Mai._

**_Bacura:_ ** _You seem a lot like Kanra to me._

**_Mai:_ ** _I'm sorry._

**_Bacura:_ ** _I wasn't talking about you._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _It's nice to meet the two of you._

**_Kuru:_ ** _The pleasure is all mine. By the way, Bacura, it occurred to me that you might be a woman…and if that were the case, the recorder would have been shared by two girls, leading to a kiss between females, the aesthetically pleasing and tantalizing image of which is now saved in my mind. It has put me into a state of, shall we say, trancelike ecstasy._

**_Mai:_ ** _Naughty._

**_Bacura:_ ** _I'll leave it up to your imagination._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Great, more weirdos…_

**_Saika:_ ** _it's nice to meet you_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Oh yeah, did you see that thing on TV a few hours ago?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _The one about Ikebukuro?_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Yeah, that one._

**_Saika:_ ** _did something happen_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _The Headless Rider was caught on camera during a live broadcast._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Oh, what a coincidence. We were just viewing that program as well and went outside to perhaps catch sight of the Headless Rider before coming back in and joining this chat room. Unfortunately, we were not able to witness the living urban legend in the flesh, but the pleasure of walking the streets at night with that hope in mind was an indescribable thrill._

**_Mai:_ ** _Too bad._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Oh, so you two are from Ikebukuro as well?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Pretty much everyone who uses this chat is from Ikebukuro or Shinjuku._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Well, enjoy yourselves._

**_Kuru:_ ** _I am most humbly grateful, Tarou Tanaka-san, for the truly kind hospitality that you have shown to such an inconsiderate boor who is nothing but a grain of sand on the internet. I believe I might even fall in love with you online._

**_Mai:_ ** _Thanks._

**_Mai:_ ** _Love you._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I don't know how to respond to that, haha…_

**_Bacura:_ ** _I have a feeling Kanra is punking us…_

**_Saika:_ ** _what is punking_

**Bacura:** _It means this is all a prank._

**Tarou Tanaka:**   _At any rate, tomorrow I'll be around Ikebukuro, guiding and being guided._

 **Tarou Tanaka:**   _I'm still a newcomer to this city, so it's good to meet you._

 **Kuru:**   _That is a coincidence. We, too, have plans to travel through Ikebukuro tomorrow. Perhaps we might even meet face-to-face and fist-to-fist._

 **Mai:**   _We're gonna punch 'em?_

 **Tarou Tanaka:**   _If we do, go easy on me, lol._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Our trip out this evening was quite wonderful. Are you aware of the sushi place known as Russia Sushi? That is a most fascinating establishment._

**_Mai:_ ** _Yummy._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Oh, I know it! Russia Sushi, that's where Simon works!_

**_Bacura:_ ** _The employees are scary, though._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Oh, what a detailed response… Perhaps we have passed by each other on the streets already. Just outside Russia Sushi maybe._

**_Mai:_ ** _Near miss._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I used to go to the bowling alley right next door all the time._

**_Bacura:_ ** _And I went to the Taiwanese restaurant on the third floor and the arcade on the second floor pretty often._

**_Saika:_ ** _everyone knows so much._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Well, out of all of us, I bet Kanra knows the most about this place._

**_-KANRA HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-_ **

**_Kanra:_ ** _Ya-hoo, everyone!_

**_Kanra:_ ** _Oh, we have some newcomers._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _uh…Good evening._

**_Kuru:_ ** _It has been quite a while, Kanra. To think that our reunion would take place not in the flesh, but the cyber world! The Internet can make the distance between people shrink or grow… A truly futuristic tool, in my opinion._

**_Mai:_ ** _Long time no see._

**_Bacura:_ ** _Evenin'_

**_Kanra:_ ** _Umm…hang on a sec._

**_Saika:_ ** _hello_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _alright?_

**_Mai:_ ** _Okay, I'm leaving._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _?_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Kanra says that he hates us, so we are going to leave._

**_Kanra:_ ** _Hey, come on, that's a little harsh for a joke!_

**_Kuru:_ ** _I will pray that the next time we meet, Kanra's mood has improved._

**_Saika:_ ** _fighting is bad_

**_Mai:_ ** _I'm sorry._

**_Kanra:_ ** _Aah! It was a joke! You don't have to take it so seriously!_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Well, have a good one, everyone._

**_Mai:_ ** _Buh-byes._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Oh, goodnight._

**_-KURU HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-_ **

**_-MAI HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-_ **

**_Bacura:_ ** _Good night. What's with the "buh-byes" at the end? lol_

**_Saika:_ ** _good night_

**_Kanra:_ ** _Enough of that! Let's regroup and start anew!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _So, um, who were they?_

**_Kanra:_ ** _Pay them no mind or you'll die!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _It causes death?!_

**_Kanra:_ ** _Just forget it! So anyway…_

**_Kanra:_ ** _Hiya, it's me, Kanra!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Hello again._

**_Bacura:_ ** _'_ _Sup._

**_Saika:_ ** _good evening. it is a pleasure again today._

**_Kanra:_ ** _Sure thing. Is everyone used to the new chat system by now?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Yes, the different colours for each person makes it easy to identify who's who._

**_Bacura:_ ** _Indeed_

**_Bacura:_ ** _This allows us to gang up on Kanra more vividly than ever._

**_Kanra:_ ** _Vividly?! Oh no, what are you going to do to little old me?!_

**_Bacura:_ ** _An endless repetition of beatings and neglect._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _That's cruel_

 

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _I see you're still awake, having trouble sleeping?_

**[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:** _Yeah, I can't sleep._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _I could help you with that~ I know just the thing that always makes you sleep well._

**[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:** _God, You're insatiable._

**[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:** _I'll have to decline, I'd actually like to sleep tonight haha_

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _Naw! If you say so._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _At any rate, something interesting was just posted over the net._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _There's a bounty on Celty._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _Apparently some film production company saw the live coverage earlier put out a bounty on anyone who can identify her. Seems like they want to develop her for show business…_

**[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:** _What!? That's completely irrational!_

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _True but Celty's entire existence is irrational._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _But for ten million, I'd say things are going to get a bit crazy for the next few days_

**[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:** _Is this what you were warning Celty-san about earlier!?_

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _Perhaps, it doesn't really matter. I'm sure no one will be able to catch her._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _Just be careful tomorrow, there's bound to be some craziness due to the bounty._

**[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:** _Alright, I will. Thank you for warning me I guess._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _Of course, baby._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _You should actually try and get some sleep_

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _Before your early night turns into another late one._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _I have some things to care of before I come to bed_

**[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:** _Sorry, I will. Goodnight Izaya._

**[Private Mode] Kanra:** _Goodnight~_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I really should be trying to get some sleep._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Goodnight everyone._

**_Kanra:_ ** _Goodnight! <3_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Buh-byes lol_

**_Saika:_ ** _goodnight._

**-TAROU TANAKA HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Mikado placed his phone back on its charging station making sure his other phone was also plugged into its charger before he rolled over, pulled the blankets up over his shoulder and closed his eyes. But his mind didn't stay silent as he started thinking once again.

_How did Izaya know there was going to be a bounty on Celty's head? Who am I kidding? He must have had something to do with it, though by the sound of it, the people who posted the bounty don't want to hurt Celty which is something…_

_But why couldn't the idol company just ask for Celty's contact information? They could have just rung an informant like Izaya and paid for her personal contact information instead of posting a bounty that will no doubt end in violence and chaos…_

Mikado sighed and rolled over once again. There was no point in trying of making sense of things in this city – whether it was the city itself or the people that resided in it, Mikado had been long convinced they were all insane.

He took a few deep breaths to try and relax, his back had been hurting all day. He only had himself to blame though - always leaning over a computer and sitting wrong. It didn't help that he was still a bit sore from their anniversary despite it almost being a week ago. Hours of sex and Mikado begging Izaya to be rougher and harder might have been a bit too much.

_It stings every time I sit down, I probably scratched myself inside when I was cleaning my ass. I keep forgetting to cut and file my nails. Izaya always does it…he said it's necessary so he doesn't hurt me. It's my own body and I forget._

_I wonder if girls have this problem. Does it hurt if they do it too much? I guess it would but it probably wouldn't be so bad because a vagina is made to stretch so they can have children. But surely being rough would hurt them too…_ Mikado pondered thinking about his tender behind.

He didn't regret it though, he'd had an amazing time. He loved having sex with Izaya but he just wished he didn't have to deal with the aftermath. Cleaning himself out when he is sore and tender was not fun at all, it was painful and he hated it but if he left it all in - Izaya's cum and the lube - it could cause all kinds of problems.

They could use a condom more, it would make things easier but Mikado didn't really like them. He didn't like that he couldn't feel Izaya's hard heat directly, he didn't like that he couldn't feel the man's hot cum coating his insides.

 _I wonder if it would be easier if I was a girl?_ He wondered before quickly dismissing the thought.  _No, no, if I were I girl I would have been pregnant by now for sure…_

_…_ _Kids, huh?_

Mikado didn't know if he wanted kids, he knew he would have to adopt or something if he did want one. He doubted Izaya would want children nor would he really trust the informant to raise a child.

He didn't have any plans of leaving Izaya, he wanted to stay with him forever but Mikado thought that maybe one day, maybe in twenty years or so, it would be nice to settle down.

 _The thought of Izaya settling down seems impossible though. Who knows?_   _Maybe when he's older he'll want to. I guess I will have to wait and see._ Mikado sighed quietly into his pillow.

Without realising it, the teen fell asleep as he thought about things. He was so deep asleep that he didn't even feel or hear Izaya come to bed. Nor he stir when Izaya wrapped his arm around his waist and pulled him close but he did unconsciously snuggle to his lover's embrace.


	10. The Chase Is On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado was planning on having a nice tour of Ikebukuro but when does anything ever go to plan?

When school ended at noon, Mikado walked through the streets. It was a beautiful sunny spring day and while almost everyone around him wore the familiar blue of the Raira uniform head to toe, Mikado had decided to head Izaya's advice and worn his own clothes. Well, sort of. He still wore the school blazer, shirt, and tie but he was wearing blue jeans and sneakers instead of the uniform pants and loafers.

He walked slowly, enjoying the sun as he made his way to where he was meeting Aoba for his tour. When he rounded the corner he could see that both his kouhai and Anri were already there.

"Oh? You both made it here before me? Sorry, were you waiting long?" he apologised with a small smile.

"No, I just got here." Aoba shook his head with a bright smile.

"Me, too," Anri mumbled. Mikado tilted his head. Anri and Aoba both seemed a bit reserved, and they didn't appear to have been talking before he arrived.

_I expected Sonohara-san to be nervous but from what I saw of Kuronuma-kun yesterday I thought he'd be bouncing off the walls with excitement and chattering non-stop._

"That's good." Mikado looked between the two of them. Aoba and Anri introduced themselves to each other before the younger teen turned to Mikado.

"I'm sorry about this. I'm just using up your valuable free time with my own selfish request…" he bowed to them. The teen was being so polite and normal that Mikado replied as if he were anyone else.

"That's not true. We didn't have anything to do, either," Mikado said shaking his head and beside him, Anri nodded in agreement.

The younger boy looked thankful for their thoughtfulness, then piped up curiously, "So…are Ryugamine-senpai and Anri-senpai a couple?"

Mikado blinked.

It was a normal question to ask. Anyone who saw them probably thought the two friends were dating. Especially now that Aoba had asked specifically for Mikado to show him around yet Anri was there too. It was just that question held a lot of depth behind it, from Mikado's sexuality to Anri's crush on Masaomi that had the two friends stunned for a minute.

"Am I wrong?" Aoba asked, tilting his head questioningly.

"Uh, it's not like that… We're still just, um, friends." Mikado explained with an uncomfortable smile.

The boy beamed at Mikado for a moment before turning to Anri. "Ohh. Does that mean you're available, Sonohara-senpai? Shall I nominate myself for the position of your boyfriend?" he gave the girl a cheeky smile.

Mikado's mouth fell agape, completely shocked.  _What? How can he just say something like that!? God, he's even smoother than Masaomi!_

 _Oh no._ Mikado looked at Anri who was bright red and flustered.  _She's probably so uncomfortable! I should say something…_

Mikado's lips trembled, ready to say something…but no words emerged. He was so stunned by Aoba's words and shocked from the innocent-looking teen's game that it left him speechless.

Aoba turned away from Anri and looked at Mikado. "Uh, Ryugamine-senpai, you know that was a joke right?" he hesitantly clarified. "You look like the world is crumbling around you…"

Mikado blinked and stared at the teen. "Huh? Did I look like that?" he tilted his head, blushing. He looked at Anri who was staring awkwardly at the ground, still listening to the conversation.

Aoba laughed, leaned close and whispered to Mikado, "I'm glad. I thought since you were with the Dollars, you would have a scary side…but I'm happy to know that someone like you is in the group."

"Well…uh, thank you?" Mikado struggled to reply.

 _Huh? That was a compliment, right?_   _It kind of felt like he was mocking me._ Mikado wondered, unsure if it was meant to be sarcastic. He smiled politely to hide his thoughts.

Aoba moved closer to Mikado, uncomfortably close. "So…are the people we're going to meet today also Dollars?" he pushed. Mikado hid his true expression behind a smile.

"Well, yes…but don't worry, they're not scary, either." He lied. From what the teen had heard from Izaya, they indeed were quite scary when they wanted to be- 'Very efficient interrogators' Izaya had called them with a devious smirk.

 _Then again, they're also kind of scary in a different way..._ Mikado thought, imagining the machine-gun chatter that was Walker and Erika's specialty.  _Where are they anyway? They should be here by now._ The teen thought looking around.

"Do you have a moment?" A male voice interrupted from nowhere.

"-To talk about our lord and saviour." Another one snickered.

On either side of Mikado were two tall men, they were almost approaching six feet tall, they towered over the teen.

"E-eh? H-how can I help y-you?" Mikado stuttered looking between the both of them with the frightened expression of a small animal.

"Just let me see your face." One of them said roughly.

The tall men grabbed him without permission, their manner suddenly cruel. One of them put his hands on Mikado's shoulders to keep him still while and other grabbed his face.

"This the guy?" the one holding his shoulders asked

"Yep, that's him! Bingo. Got confirmation." The one holding his face let go and grinned at the other man.

The men looked at each other happily, whatever their "bingo" was. Based on the lip piercings and crooked teeth black from nicotine, they did not appear to be friendly. Mikado was a believer in not judging a book by its cover, but in this one situation, he felt confident that these books were exactly what their covers suggested.

The knife strapped his ankle felt heavy as if it were reminding him of its existence. He wondered if he would be able to take on the two men. He knew he would be able to shake them off and run, but he had to think about Aoba and Anri who were watching the situation in stunned confusion.

The men leered gleefully and leaned in toward Mikado, their faces reeking of cigarette smoke which made the teen screw up his nose in distaste. His heart hammered in his chest and as he wondered what exactly the men wanted.

 _Are these guys Izaya's enemies? Had someone found out about us? Or do they know who I am? Either way, this is bad._ Mikado thought, biting his lip.

"Hey. You were there, right? You were there recently?" one of them demanded.

"Th-there…? Where?" Mikado asked, confused.

"You were there, ya know? You were at that junked factory with the Black Rider that one time that Kadota's group kicked the shit outta us. Yeah?" the other snarled.

"Did you get a little sloppy today, just cause we weren't wearin' yellow?" the man gave a feral grin and everything clicked into place.

"You're…" Mikado narrowed his eyes.  _The remnants of The Yellow Scarves!_

They weren't the real yellow scarves that Masaomi had created no, they were the scum from the leftovers of a gang called the Blue Squares who had infiltrated The Yellow Scarves under Horada.  _I thought Izaya said he took care of them!_

"Well, whatever. We don't care why you were there when it happened." One of them shrugged and the tension in Mikado's body eased ever so slightly.

"It's just, we want the ten million yen, ya know?" the other piped up.

Ten million yen.

That was the last piece of the puzzle to click into place. They weren't coming after Mikado to enact revenge against a member of the Dollars…they wanted the headless rider, they wanted Celty.

"You know where that Black Rider is, don't cha? Huh?!"

"You can donate your cell to our cause, right? Got the phone number in there, I bet." They crudely grabbed at his bag, yanking it open to pore over the contents.

"Wait…stop that!" Mikado exclaimed angrily.  _No, not my phone! They could break it. No, Izaya gave that to me!_

"Shut up!" one of them snapped. Mikado raised his fist to punch the man in the head, his eyes narrowing as he swung his fist back.

"Hiii, Mika-do." A shadow loomed behind the men, a head taller than even they were. Mikado blinked and dropped his fist.

"Wh-what the…fu…uh…?" the men looked up completely shocked.

It was an enormous black man in a white T-shirt. For an instant, Mikado wasn't sure who it was, either, but he recognized the man within moments. The lack of the sushi-chef outfit had thrown him off but he knew the giant.

"Simon!" Mikado realised with a relieved smile.

"What wrong? Fight is no good. You get anger-hungry. Our sushi shop closed today. So you fight, you starve." Simon shook his head mournfully as he grabbed the two men's shoulders with an iron grip.

"H-hey! Let go…"

"C-can't move…"

The two men tried to struggle but being under Simon's hand they couldn't even budge their own fingers. Despite the incredible pressure he was exerting on them, Simon's expression was as cool as a cucumber.

"You pick up bag. Leave these ruffians to me and run to safe-tee," he said in the style that reminded the teen of dramatic action moves.

"But Simon…" Mikado protested, getting drawn into the act.

"You no fight when girls around. Go, go, go."

"Th-thank you! We'll all come have sushi soon!" Mikado bowed gratefully.

"Ohh, very good. In thanks, I charge you only ten percent interest on market price." Simon beamed happily.

Mikado picked up his bag, grabbed Aoba and Anri by the hand, and raced off. "S-sorry! I didn't mean for you to get dragged into that nonsense!" he apologised, bowing as they ran through the streets of Ikebukuro.

"Um, dragged into? You were the only one who suffered any consequences," Aoba blinked. Mikado knew he was right, but he couldn't help but feel ashamed and embarrassed that they'd been put through that experience anyway.

From out of the alley came a group of men who must have been with the other punks, their eyes focused on him, pointing.

"Ah shit." Mikado groaned, running faster.

"Hey, what about the other guys?!" one of the thugs protested.

"Forget them! We couldn't beat Simon with our entire group, starting a fight there will only draw Heiwajima's attention anyway!" a man yelled as they chased after the trio.

Mikado looked at his two companions, they were struggling to keep up with him. He opened his mouth to tell them to split up, the men just wanted him after all.

Mikado shrieked when the van suddenly stopped in front of them, thinking that it was a fresh round of pursuers. But then he recognized the man in the passenger seat, and his face lit up.

"Kadota-san!" he exclaimed, relieved.

The next moment, Erika poked her head out of the side door and yelled, "Why are you being chased?! Anyway, get in, get in!"

Mikado, Anri, and Aoba piled into the van and shut the door before the thugs could reach them. Saburo started the engine at the exact same moment one of the thugs reached for the handle of the passenger-side door and Kadota's fist flew out of the open window and stopped him.

"You saved us!" Mikado exclaimed, slightly out of breath.

"Hey, it's all good. Sorry for being late!" Erika said with a maniacal laugh.

The van was surprisingly cramped, with the rear being taken up by Mikado's trio, Erika, and Walker—and a pair of girls who Mikado found to be oddly familiar. The girls in the very back of the van were possibly twins because aside from one having glasses, their faces looked exactly the same.

"Um…what are you two doing in here?" Aoba Kuronuma asked them, surprised.

 _He knows them?_ Mikado wondered, but before he could say anything, they heard an obnoxious musical horn from outside and a dull thud against the side of the van.

"Damn, they found us," Saburo grunted, irritated. Mikado looked out of the side windows. He thought maybe the Yellow Scarves they'd ditched had caught up in their own car, but instead, what he saw through the tinted windows was a gang of modified motorcycles bearing men in white and black striped uniforms.

"Stop the damn caaaar!"

"We're gonna kill ya!"

"What happened to our backup?!"

The gang members yelled back and forth and Mikado felt weak.

"Wh-what's going on? What's happening right now!?" he exclaimed, looking around the van for an answer.

"Well, you see, I have an unfortunate announcement. You basically jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. Too bad, so sad. We are currently inhabiting a troubled dimension just as treacherous as a certain academy city researching supernatural powers…" Walker started babbling much Mikado's chagrin.

"What in the world are you talking about!?" he yelled, shaking his head.

"Let me just make sure: Do you know any doctors who look like a frog? That'll bump your odds of survival up about ten percent." The male otaku continued.

Mikado gave up on interacting with Walker's utter nonsense and turned to Kadota in the front passenger seat instead. When their eyes met through the rear-view mirror, the older man looked a bit apologetic.

"Yeah, some…stuff happened. Sorry."

"Wh-whaaaaat!?" Mikado yelled, his blue eyes wide in outrage.


	11. Frustration is at its Peak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the chase reaches its end, Mikado wants to help, he knows he can but no one will let him which leads to him becoming insanely frustrated and annoyed.

Mikado looked around frantically, his heart was hammering in his chest.  _How in the hell are we going to get out of this!?_ He thought as he worriedly looked around at everyone, some looked calm, some looked scared while others just looked confused.

 _How did a tour around Ikebukuro turn into this!?_ Mikado wondered, his body hummed with adrenaline, quietly, he was thrilled. This was a lot more exciting than showing Aoba around town but he also didn't plan to die today.

A few people screamed when a window was broken by a metal pipe and Saburo pressed the accelerator to the floor and Mikado didn't even want to think about how fast they were going.

Mikado wondered how things could get any more out of control when they heard the whinnying of a headless horse approaching from the front. There was a flurry of reactions from within the van.

"Headless Rider!" Saburo gasped.

"Celty?!" Mikado exclaimed surprised.

"…Celty!" Anri leaned further over

"What's this? What's going on, Ryugamine-senpai?!" Aoba exclaimed excitedly, all but grabbing onto Mikado's arm only to be shaken off by the older teen.

Celty pulled up and matched the speed of the car, hiding something beside her in shadow as she used one hand to steer and the other to type.

[ **Sorry, I'm being chased by a motorcycle gang! Run for it!]** She exclaimed.

Mikado grimaced.  _Oh no, the world just had to prove me wrong, didn't it?_

Kadota looked at her desperate message and smirked. "Sorry, but…we might be the ones who need to apologize."

Celty tilted her helmet in question. An obnoxious car horn went off behind them. Celty turned around and saw, sure enough, a large group of bikers.

"We're being chased, too," Kadota sheepishly confessed.

The fresh mass of violence and anger joined up with the already gang pursuing them, forming a fleet of over fifty vehicles that bore down on them with the force of a typhoon and the human rage of a mob.

 _Ah, I wonder if I should send Izaya one last message before my untimely death?_ Mikado thought miserably. He couldn't see a way out of the situation, they couldn't escape and the teen knew that eventually their pursuers would either catch up or they'd get in a car accident.

 **[Is it hopeless?]** Celty asked, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Nah, we got one bit of hope on our side," Kadota said with a wicked grin. Mikado looked at the man curiously, wondering what the man had planned.

"They're all outsiders, while we're part of the Dollars, right?" When people come and raise hell in your territory…it gives you the justification to fight back." He grinned and Mikado's eyes widened in shock.

 _That's right!_ Mikado realised.  _This is our territory! But wait…it's not like we can really do anything…how are we going to fight back?_

"So? What are we going to do? Call the police?" Mikado asked, slightly more sarcastically than he meant too.

"They've gotta know about this by now! And I saw that one guy on the police bike earlier!" Kadota told the teen shaking his head. "The question is if we can make it until the police actually arrive. I might be able to handle them ganging up on us with metal pipes, but not you kids…" Kadota trailed off with a troubled look.

"That's true but…" Mikado started to argue before Kadota cut him off.

"Don't worry, we're gonna make sure that you guys get away, at the very least. I'll drive you right into police headquarters if I have to," Kadota growled from the passenger seat.

Mikado started to exhale with relief, then chastised himself.  _No! I need to help Sonohara-san, Kuronuma-kun, and those two girls escape to safety…but I can't just run with them and leave the other Dollars and Celty behind in danger!_

 _I'm stronger now! I can help! I can't just let everyone else handle my problems anymore! I have to do something!_ He narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists as he grit his teeth.

Aoba looked over and hesitantly asked, "Ryugamine-senpai, are you okay?"

"Huh? O-oh, I'm fine. Sorry, you'll have to make do on your own…" Mikado smiled.

"No, I mean… You know what, never mind." Aoba began before he shook his head. Mikado wondered what Aoba was trying to say. But then he looked out the window noticing a sidecar off some sort attached to her bike with some sort of cargo in it.

A strange calm came over him. "I guess…since Celty's under a bounty now…" He paused. It was just an instant of a pause, and then he said something that didn't seem very appropriate, given their circumstances. "I suppose…we won't be able to just see her hanging around anymore…" he said tilting his head.

Mikado watched as Celty typed something and threw PDA to Kadota who quickly read over what she'd written before throwing it back.

"Hey, Black Rider…you serious about this?" Kadota asked sounding unsure. Mikado didn't know what the message contained but he guessed it was some sort of plan from the way he reacted. Celty gave a thumbs up in response.

"All right. Listen, I know what your name is, but since I didn't hear it from you, it didn't feel right to say it myself. So this'll be weird, but…"

Celty tilted her head and as did Mikado as Kadota looked back at her, deadly serious, and gave her a thumbs-up of his own.

"Let me thank you in advance, Celty-san."

Mikado gasped when Celty silently produced a giant scythe out of her hand. Waving it back and forth to keep the pursuers behind them at bay, making them draw back and putting some space between them.

This continued for a minute for so when Mikado realised what they were heading for - the tunnel that passed under the railway, connecting the east and west gates of the Ikebukuro Station.

The van sped through but Celty left behind and he stopped.

"Celty-san!" Mikado gasped in shock as the dozen of bikes bore down on her and looked back at the tunned. The dullahan held her enormous scythe aloft. In the next moment, like a giant spider web, countless tiny ropes extended from the scythe to catch everywhere along the tunnel and form an enormous net completely blocking the entrance of the tunnel and Mikado's view.

He could no longer see the tunnel at all when Mikado was jostled out of his seat when the van suddenly screeched to a stop and Kadota turned to everyone in the back.

"All right…you guys get out and either race through the station or pile into the police building nearby… As long as you tell them you just got wrapped up in this through no fault of your own, you should be fine!" he said as he got out and opened the side door for everyone.

 _What!? You're seriously telling me to leave!? How can I do that, Celty is in there fighting all by herself I'm not going to leave her!_ Mikado thought, he tried to stay in but was forcibly pushed out by those behind him.

"What about you, Dotachin?" Erika asked as hopped out of the van.

Kadota looked away, then sighed. "You know Celty-san? She's with Kishitani-kun, right?"

"Uhh, yeah. She's such a tsundere with him. It makes me embarrassed to watch them." Erika grinned and giggled.

"No, Karisawa-san! I keep telling you, she's an 'older younger sister'!" Walker protested following her out of the van.

Kadota ignored the two bickerers and quietly turned to Saburo in the driver's seat.

"Damn. I barely had anything to do with him in high school…so I don't really know what Kishitani-kun's like in person…but I gotta admit, I'm kinda jealous," he said, then smiled happily and continued, "Celty-san…she's a babe. Yeah, she's a good woman. Right, Togusa-kun?"

"Huh? The Black Rider's a chick?" he raised an eyebrow.

"…Anyway, that settles it. Can't go having a girl save my ass. You know?" Kadota grinned.

Saburo seemed to understand what he meant and put his hand on the gear stick, wryly observing, "So, we're gonna find and retrieve the Black Rider, then escape? Or help her out?" Kadota grinned wickedly, and Saburo revved the engine.

Mikado watched shocked from the sidewalk as the van sped off, he turned to Aoba.

"Take care of Sonohara-san and those girls," Mikado told the small teen who looked at him with wide eyes.

"Eh? Ryugamine-senpai!?" Aoba exclaimed but Mikado ignored him, taking off down the street towards the tunnel.

 _I won't be looked down like this! I have to help everyone, I know I can help but everyone is looking down on me! I might not be as strong a Kadota-san or have powers like Celty-san but I'm not useless! I'm not a poor defenseless girl!_ His frustration spurred him on, making him run faster towards his destination.

The tunnel came into sight and he clenched his fists.  _Just a bit further, I'll show them I'm not weak! I can-_ before the teen could finish his thought, something suddenly appeared in the tunnel beside Celty.

A knight in medieval armour, with no head.

Mikado skidded to a halt and stared at it in complete shock.  _What!? What is that? Another dullahan!?_ He thought frantically as chaos reigned in the tunnel as the new being despatched thugs left and right.

Celty, the headless being and an incredibly tall man whose face was covered in bandages quickly took down the biker gang surrounding them while Mikado watched in awe that was until someone grabbed the scruff of his blazer and lifted him off the ground.

"What the hell!?" Mikado started to struggle, getting ready to attack when he turned to see Kadota looking at him with an almost shocked expression. Saburo's van had pulled up beside him while he was distracted.

Despite his aggressive response, Kadota threw him onto the seat of the van with a rather troubled looking Anri. "Just do me a favour and stay out of it. The last thing I need is for you to get injured and have to face  _his_  wrath." He said obviously frustrated before he slammed the door shut.

Mikado took a deep breath to calm his expression but he was utterly furious. His mind cursed everything and he clenched his fists.  _They're looking down on me, they're looking down on me!_

"Are okay Ryugamine-kun?" Anri asked concerned as the van took off in the opposite direction of the tunnel.

"I'm fine." He said looking out the window to hide his angry expression.

* * *

 

Mikado slammed the door of his apartment so hard the walls shook for a moment. The teen couldn't remember if he'd ever been so angry in his life.

_How dare that stupid biker gang look down on the Dollars! How dare they come into our territory and attack our members!?_

_How dare Kadota look down on me!? How dare they all look down on me!? I am their founder! Without me The Dollars wouldn't even exist and yet they look down on me like I'm some useless kid?_

Deep inside he knew that none of them knew he was the founder so they had no idea what he had done for all of them and that he deserved at least a little bit of respect.

Mikado clenched his fists, his entire body shaking with rage.

"They're all looking down on me…" he growled, gritting his teeth, his eyes burning with anger.

"I'll show them…!"

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED.**

___Double upload, new chapter tomorrow!_


	12. Work it Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unable to calm himself down, Mikado decides a nice trip to the gym is in order.

Wearing workout gear, Mikado approached the sliding doors of a fancy, modern looking gym. It was the gym he'd done his training at a few months earlier.

He walked up to the front to see a familiar face talking to the receptionist. Mikado's old trainer, the man in charge of the program and the owner of the gym- Kenshi Daiki.

The man was over six foot tall with board shoulders, lots of muscles, tan skin and short black hair. Mikado had always liked him because of how he was kind but also stern at the same time.

Mikado waited patiently at the front desk for them to the stop talking about schedules and other important-sounding things. He'd been unable to calm down after the whole incident with the biker gangs so he'd come to the gym to work off some of his anger and frustration.

Daiki looked up when he noticed a client and smiled broadly when he recognised him. "My, if it isn't you Ryugamine-kun!" he greeted cheerfully and Mikado forced a small smile.

"Hello." he gave a small bow. "I've come to sign up for a membership. It said on your website if I came down to sign up I could use the gym right after."

"That's true! It will be even easier because we already have all of your details." The personal trainer grinned and looked at the receptionist who looked back. "Can you search Ryugamine Mikado and give him a membership? It should be really easy."

Mikado's former trainer was such a cheerful man, he kind of reminded the teen of Simon in a way. Big but friendly. But he was still, of course, a personal trainer that forced you to push to your limits and sometimes yelled in your face to go harder.

It worked though, Mikado was probably a hundred times stronger than he had been this time last year.

"What kind of membership were you looking for Ryugamine-san?" the female receptionist asked politely but Mikado could tell by her appearance that she liked going to the gym too. "We have monthly plans, periodic memberships or deluxe full-year plans."

"Well, I'm going to start martial arts training over the summer…" Mikado thought, looking at the brochure in front of him. "So perhaps a three-month membership?"

"Excellent choice sir." the woman turned back to the computer. "I'll sign you up right now…there…and there…" she smiled. "Alright, you'll just have fill in this form to confirm your details and pay." She printed out the said form.

Mikado read over it and signed the bottom before paying for his membership with the bank card Izaya had given him, using it for the first time.

"You're all set Ryugamine-san. Please enjoy our gym." The women said with a bright smile.

"Thank you."

"I have some free time so why don't I show you how to use the equipment. Is there anything you want to especially work on?" Daiki asked, coming out from behind the desk and walking with the teen towards the main part of the gym

"Well…" Mikado said unsurely. "Probably everything but I really came here today to work off some tension, or perhaps frustration is a better word."

"Frustration?" the personal trainer echoed, studying the teen's face. "Well, I know the perfect thing for that." He grinned. "Shall we go over to the punching bags?"

Mikado frowned and bit his lower lip. "I don't know…I still feel really bad for breaking that guy's nose when we were sparring." Mikado said regretfully. Daiki laughed,

"It was fine. It wasn't the first time some got injured sparring and I doubt it will be the last." He smiled and Mikado found himself blushing slightly as they walked over to the punching bags.

Daiki was certainly good-looking despite being in his early thirties. The personal trainer had rugged good looks that made him a favourite to all the women in the gym who were constantly flirting with him even though he was happily married. Mikado found him nice but compared to Izaya, who the teen considered the be the most beautiful person in the world – he was only a bit better than average.

As Mikado put his gym bag to the side, he pulled on a pair of boxing gloves that were sitting next to the bags for anyone to use, quickly wondering if he should buy his own, the thought of how many sweaty hands had been in the communal gloves was pretty nauseating.

Daiki held the lightweight bag and Mikado stretched and jogged on the spot to warm up. "Alright man, have at it." The tall man smiled encouragingly and Mikado did.

He punched the bag with all his might, letting all the thoughts that had been in his head flow forth making his anger rise as he punched harder and harder, the sound of his fists hitting the bag filled his ears.

Some punches made Daiki grunt in surprise and his feet shift. Mikado focused solely on punching the bag, his fury all but blinding.

After about twenty minutes, his punches weakened and he was sweating. He stepped back and nodded to Daiki who backed off and rubbed his shoulder. "You really were mad." He commented chuckling.

"Sorry." He apologised, breathing heavily as he pulling off the gloves. He walked over and sat down on the bench where he'd placed his bag, relaxing against the cool wall. Daiki sat next to him.

"Don't apologise. Though, I am curious what made you so mad. From what I know, you're usually quite the pacifist." The man said looking at him with questioning brown eyes.

Mikado looked up at him.  _I don't know if I should say anything…I guess I could dilute the story a lot. I might as well tell him, I've got no else to talk too..._ The teen took a deep breath,

"I just get frustrated when people look down on me," Mikado said quietly. "When they treat me like a burden, like I'm too weak to help."

"Hmm, that is fair enough." Daiki nodded, waiting for Mikado to continue.

"I don't know if it's because I am a pacifist or because of the way I look but it really gets to me. I mean just today, my friends got into a bit of trouble with some street thugs and I wanted to help them but they literally demanded I escape with the girls of the group." Mikado told him the gist of what had happened.

"What, really?"

"Yeah, and when I tried to help I was scolded and manhandled into a car like a small child." Mikado could feel himself growing mad again just thinking about it. "I mean, I know I'm not super strong but I can be of help can't I?" he looked up at the older man.

"Well, I don't think it is right of your friends to look down like that but then again maybe they just didn't want you to get hurt," Daiki suggested with a small smile.

"Perhaps but…how am I just meant to stand on the sidelines and let them fight when I know I can help them?" Mikado sighed, leaning his head against the wall and looking up at the white ceiling.

"I'm sure they just wanted to protect you," Daiki said. "You should be glad that you have people willing to fight for you."

_It sounds noble when you put it that way but I don't need someone to protect me. I'm not a damsel in distress…but I understand what he's saying. They did willingly fight for me…_

Mikado gave a small smile. "I guess I didn't think of it like that." Daiki grinned before the pager on his hip buzzed and looked at it.

"My next client is here." He stood up he looked at Mikado. "It was nice seeing you again Ryugamine-san. I'm sure we're be seeing each other around." He beamed.

Mikado hurriedly stood up and bowed to the man. "Yes! Thank you so much for your help and advice."

"No worries." The older man grinned before hurrying off.

Mikado smiled, Daiki really was a nice person. It had been a while since he'd been able to talk to someone like that, ever since he started to keep things from Izaya he hadn't had anyone to talk too. He'd forgotten how nice it was to not have to bottle things up.

Mikado sighed and grabbed his gym bag. He didn't really feel like exercising anymore, he'd used up all his energy punching the bag with all his might. He headed to the locker room, deciding he would go relax in the sauna a bit before going home and taking a nice shower.

He would have usually avoided the sauna because a lot of the men inside it were wearing nothing but towels and Mikado didn't think it was fair on them to have a gay man there too. It kind of made him feel like a pervert, even if he did keep his eyes glued to the floor.

As if luck was on his side, he'd seen a large sign on the way in advertising that the gym had recently opened a set of single person saunas which he definitely wanted to use.

He hired a locker and pulled off all of his clothes apart from his shorts and underwear, he took a large drink from his water bottle, feeling instantly refreshed afterward. He grabbed a towel from his gym bag before shoving his belongings in his locker, making sure it was locked before he headed to the sauna room.

The new single person saunas were brand new and made out of wood. They were electronic and obviously expensive. He found one that was free and entered it, it was still and warm from the last use. He closed the door and looked at the panel on the wall.

"Oh, it locks electronically, that's nice," Mikado commented, locking the door and starting the session before draping his towel around his neck and sitting on the wooden bench.

 _Aah… this is nice…_ he thought happily.

When his lesson of thirty minutes came to an end, the electronic panel beeped to inform him. Mikado slowly got up and unlocked the sauna, stepping out into the much cooler room.

 _I wonder what I should make for dinner? I don't think Izaya is going to come home tonight…perhaps chicken curry or ramen? Ooh, I should make should make chicken skewers, I love those!_ The teen thought, making his way to his locker.

"Eh?" Mikado stopped stunned as he saw his locker was open, he frowned.

 _I'm a hundred percent sure I locked it._ He quickly assessed his belongings. "Oh thank god." He breathed when he found his two phones. He looked through his other belongings making sure everything was there, all his important stuff was there like his clothes and such but there was one thing missing.

 _Someone…took my drink bottle!?_ Mikado thought incredulously.  _Someone broke into my locker and took my drink bottle?_ The teen shook his head.  _That doesn't make any sense… Well, I guess I should be glad they didn't take my phone…._

Mikado pulled his clothes back on still in disbelief and confusion over the theft. He gathered his belongings and started to leave the gym.

 _I guess I should tell them someone is breaking into the lockers._ Mikado thought walking up to the front desk.

"Oh, Ryugamine-san." The receptionist smiled, recognising him.

"Hello again. I just wanted to inform you that someone broke into my locker. They didn't take anything major so I don't really care too much but I thought it better to tell you."

"Oh my." The woman looked shocked. "That's terrible, do you mind if I ask what the person took?"

"Yeah, it was just my drink bottle. I'm just glad it wasn't my phone." Mikado said with a relieved smile.

"Oh definitely." The woman nodded. "We take this stuff very seriously. I'll file a report for a management, can I ask you a few questions?"

"Oh, um, sure," Mikado said awkwardly.  _I didn't expect it to be a big deal but I guess if the thief can break into my locker they can break into more and steal more valuable things._

Mikado answered a few simple questions like what locker number it was, if he was one hundred percent sure he locked it and more. It didn't take more than five minutes so the teen wasn't really fussed.

"Thank you for your help Ryugamine-san. We don't tolerate thieves here at our gym. I'm sure Dai-chan will be quite eager to find the culprit." The woman stood up and bowed to him.

Mikado blinked.  _Dai-chan!? No way, she can't be… is she talking about Kenshi-san!?_

The woman chuckled. "You look so confused. I'm Daiki's wife, Kenshi Midori." The woman bowed,

"Oh! I'm sorry, I had no idea!" Mikado bowed back. Midori laughed,

"There's no need to apologise." She said kindly. "At any rate, thank you for informing us about the theft, Ryugamine-san. We hope this won't affect your opinion of our gym, especially on your first day as a member."

"Oh no, not at all. I didn't even expect you to file a report." Mikado waved off her concern. "It was nothing important anyway."

"I'm glad you feel that way but we'll be sure to look for the culprit anyway." Midori smiled.

"Of course. I hope you find him." Mikado agreed. "Thank you for everything." He bowed.

Midori smiled, "I was my pleasure." She bowed back. "Have a good day Ryugamine-san." She said as the teen left, he smiled and wished her goodbye.

He stopped to buy a drink from the vending machine at the entrance before stepping out into the street, feeling a hundred times better than he did when he had arrived.

_How funny. I'm all sweaty and in desperate need of a shower, my drink bottle got stolen but I feel so much better._

Mikado chuckled to himself and headed home.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO BE CONTINUED.  
> If you spot any mistakes such as the spelling and grammar, please let me know! Thank you, it helps a lot!


	13. Needy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado and Izaya spend a nice night indoors.

"I got there a bit late so Sonohara-san and Kuronuma-kun were already there waiting for me," Mikado explained to his boyfriend who sat on the sofa next to him, listening intently. They'd just finished dinner, their plates still sitting on the coffee table as Mikado told Izaya of the biker gang incident which happened a few days prior.

Izaya had been, for lack of a better word, sulking about it. The informant had been kept out of the loop and apparently had nothing to do with it which made him act like a small child who fallen asleep while everyone else ate dessert.

"And then these two tall guys approached us, they were obviously thugs, you could tell from their appearance. They start asking me things and it turns out they're leftovers from the Yellow Scarves – the bad one. They demanded my phone and I panicked but Simon saved me!" Mikado said thinking back to the Russian man fondly.

"They didn't try and hurt you did they?" Izaya asked concerned, Mikado shook his head.

"Anyway, I grabbed Sonohara-san and Kuronuma-kun and start running but more reject Yellow Scarves started chasing us!" Mikado exclaimed. "I was just about to tell the others we should split up when Kadota-san group showed up with the van and told us to get in." Mikado gestured his hands as he spoke and Izaya nodded his head along with his words.

"The van was so full! There was Kadota-san, Togusa-san, Karisawa-san, Yumasaki-san, Sonohara-san, Kuronuma-kun and me, oh and these two girls I didn't know. They looked like twins though." Mikado counted on his fingers as he named off everyone.

"Twins?" Izaya echoed with a frown. Mikado blinked and tilted his head at the man's reaction. "What did they look like?"

"Um." Mikado struggled to remember. "I think they were younger than me…they had brown hair, one was wearing like an old-fashioned school uniform with the long black skirt and everything while the other was wearing a school gym uniform, why?"

"Did you see the name on the gym uniform?" Izaya asked and Mikado frowned.

"No, I don't think so. Why are you so interested in them?" the teen tilted his head.

"Because they're my sisters," Izaya admitted sheepishly.

"Eh!?" Mikado exclaimed, completely surprised.

_I didn't know his sisters were twins! He mentioned he had two siblings but I had no idea! No wonder they seemed so familiar to me!_

"Yeah, they started at Raira this year," Izaya explained casually. "They're your kouhai."

"Really!? Why didn't you tell me?" Mikado asked in shock and the man gave a pained grimace.

"Well…I don't really know how to handle them."

"Eh? Really? I didn't know you had problems handling anyone." Mikado lightly teased his older lover.

"Don't tease me~. I'm only human, you know? I'm not entirely perfect," Izaya pouted resting his head on Mikado's shoulder with a sigh.

"My sisters…who are named Kururi and Mairu, by the way… Well, my parents are normal. Except for their naming choices. I was raised in normal circumstances—and turned out like this." Izaya looked almost depressed. Mikado frowned and stroked the man's silky, black hair and let him continue.

"I turned out weird, despite my normal upbringing. But them, on the other hand—I feel like they turned out weird because of my influence. I won't deny that I feel a bit responsible for that." Regret was clear in his voice, his red eyes looking down.

"What do you mean they're weird?" Mikado asked softly.  _They seemed pretty normal to me apparent from one of them wearing a gym uniform…it's not often I see Izaya so down, he must really care about his sisters…_

"What they're trying to be is…human."

Mikado frowned in confusion.  _What does he mean they're trying to be human? Aren't they automatically human? I don't get it…_ the teen thought but kept quiet as he waited for Izaya to explain things a bit better.

"They want to represent the human being as a whole. The Japanese human being, specifically." Izaya explained but Mikado found himself even more confused.

"I…don't understand…" he admitted, his brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of the older man's words.

"It's a very difficult task they've set. Basically, they think that as twins, they make up one person." Izaya met eyes with Mikado who tilted his head.

"I lot of people think that, don't they, when they see twins together? But usually, the twins would find it offensive." Mikado questioned curiously.

"Normally, perhaps. But as I said, my sisters are not normal." Izaya sat up from Mikado, turning to look at him fully as he started to explain in detail.

"You know how video games have character stats and so on? So characters might good at magic but terrible at fighting or a good brawler but a total idiot. When you make up a party in an RPG, you have to balance that party out, so that each person makes up for the others' shortcomings."

"Yeah, it mimics reality in the fact that everyone has different talents and hence, need to work with others to survive as a society." Mikado agreed with a frown, though he loved video games he didn't quite understand why Izaya had brought it up.

Izaya leaned over and put his hands on the coffee table, envisioning his sisters. "Anyway, they're trying to create this RPG party themselves. As if one were the fighter and the other is the magician."

"So they play to each other's strengths and weaknesses?" Mikado asked, it didn't sound so strange, in fact quite smart.

"Nothing that simple. They decided to intentionally fashion different personalities for themselves. They actively turned themselves into identical twins with totally different personas! And they assume that by acting together, this makes them better… They're under the illusion that they can do anything that way." He said with an exasperated sigh before he grinned.

"When they were in elementary school, they chose their looks and personality at random. With no regard to logicality! That's why Kururi, the elder of the two, plays the silent, gloomy type, despite her gym clothes outfit. And Mairu the younger is a bright and talkative character, yet she looks like a bookworm."

"That doesn't make sense, why would they separate their looks from their personalities?" Mikado asked, stunned.

"Exactly. It makes no sense. But to them, having your appearance and personality match doesn't make sense to begin with. In the end, they're still combining themselves into one person. They think that as long as all the parts are present, there's no problem. They're just special enough that they can pull it off. I mean, talk about a bad case of eighth-grader syndrome."

"I thought that was just something made up in anime." Mikado shook his head in amazement.

"Well, they're not claiming to have psychic powers or warriors in a past life so I guess it could be worse… but at any rate, they find a way to stand out, no matter the group." Izaya rested his head on his hand as Mikado thought about what he'd just said.

_Izaya the type of person that likes to hide in the shadows, he likes to blend into the crowd like a snake in tall grass. Plus, he has that rotten desire to be the hidden puppet master…so he would find his sisters standing out to be troublesome._

"Anyway, it makes you embarrassed just to listen to them talk. I'm sure you'll understand if you ever meet them… It's really painful. And that's coming from me, so you know it's true." Izaya grimaced.

Mikado blinked, he couldn't really imagine the kind of person that would make Izaya embarrassed to the point he found it painful. Izaya found almost everyone entertaining, amusing so being unable to handle his sisters made the teen curious.

"Do you think they'll be alright? I mean standing out in high school isn't usually a good thing…" Mikado frowned remembering all the people he'd witnessed be bullied for being different over the years. Seriously, bullies were vicious, the things they did for the sake of 'fun' made Mikado sick to his stomach.

"I suppose. I hope there's no bullying…but I very much doubt that." Izaya sighed before he grinned. "The poor things…"

Mikado frowned.  _Does he find his sisters being bullied amusing?_ Mikado thought angrily.

"That's not something to laugh about Izaya! They're still your family aren't they?" Mikado firmly scolded the man with hard eyes.

"Ohh no, no, no. You misunderstand my dear," he chuckled, then explained, "The ones I feel sorry for aren't Kururi and Mairu…it's the kids trying to bully them."

"What do you mean?" Mikado asked warily, having a bad feeling about what the informant was going to say next.

"What did I tell you? My sisters are weird because of my influence." Izaya raised his hand in a sort of shrug before he smirked. "Do you think the people who tried to bully me got away scot-free?"

Mikado chuckled nervously. "No…definitely not…"

Izaya snickered. "Anyone who bullies those girls will quickly find out it was a horrible idea it was," he smirked with a faraway look in his eyes as if he was imagining something.

Mikado shifted uncomfortably.

"Do you think I'll ever meet them?" he asked after a few minutes and Izaya looked at him and blinked.

"Eh? You already did."

"N-no…I mean…as your boyfriend." Mikado asked flustered, squirming as a dark blush flooded his cheeks.

"If those two found out about us, they would never leave you alone." Izaya sighed, wrapping his arms around Mikado's waist and pulling him close. "They would harass you nonstop asking you questions about our sex life or trying to attack you. I wouldn't put it past them to bug our bedroom." Izaya exasperated.

Mikado blinked, looking at the informant with wide eyes. "S-seriously?"  _What kind of girls are they!? They sound scary. What does he mean they'll attack me? Like with kicks and punches or like…something grosser!?_

"Yeah." Izaya nodded with a stern expression. "They are huge perverts! Even in the chatroom. That's why I have to protect you from them!" Izaya exclaimed.

"The chatroom?" Mikado blinked before realising.  _Oh! Kuru and Mai from the chatroom must be his sisters! Oh, wow…they were weird too…if they're like that in person…ugh…I don't really want to know._

"Yeah. They found the address and joined it." Izaya pouted. "I tried to convince them to leave but they won't," Izaya whined mournfully, burying his face in the teen's shoulder.

Mikado chuckled at his boyfriend's childish behaviour. "There, there." He ruffled the older man's hair affectionately. "If worse comes to worse, you could just block them."

"Mhm, yeah, and then I'll never hear the end of it." Izaya sighed, puffing out his cheeks. Mikado smiled tenderly at his boyfriend.

_He's so cute when he's in one of these moods. So cuddly too, not that I'm complaining. I wonder how I was so lucky to have someone like Izaya cuddle up to me and pout like a child._

_God, I love him so much._

* * *

 

Growing bored, Mikado quietly closed his laptop and set aside on the sofa next to him. He glanced at Izaya who was sitting next to him, watching a children's anime on TV while scrolling on his phone.

The teen bit his lip. Izaya was completely and utterly relaxed wearing the gym shorts and hoodie that counted as his pajamas, he was somewhat sitting and laying down at the same time with his sock-clad feet resting on the coffee table.

 _How many people have seen Izaya like this?_ Mikado wondered happily.  _With his guard completely down, his masks all put away…_

The teen's blue eyes trailed along his lover's body to his attractive face, his defined collarbone, and his long legs. Mikado fidgeted feeling a familiar feeling build in his stomach. The tingling feeling at made him rub his legs together and squirm.

 _I want to…do it…_ Mikado thought, biting his lip. His body was completely healed from the scratch he'd accidentally inflicted on himself. Izaya had been so busy for the last two weeks that they hadn't had the chance to do anything so Mikado never had to tell the man of his mistake.

_Two weeks…no wonder I'm pent up…I feel like we don't do it as often…I wonder when I became so needy like this. Surely, I must be a pervert, I wasn't like this before…it's all Izaya's fault._

_He's so focused on his phone…_ Mikado chewed at the inside of his cheek.  _I guess…I could try and get his attention. Izaya's always the one instigating it…I should try to do it…I shouldn't always wait for him to do something...maybe he'll like it if I did it…_

Trembling slightly with nerves, Mikado stretched out his leg to brush his foot along the older man's thigh. Izaya looked up and they locked eyes, immediately making the teen blush furiously.

"Oh~?" Izaya smirked, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Mikado bit his lip and rubbed the man's thigh with his foot, giving the man the best set of bedroom eyes he could possibly manage in an effort to seduce the older male.

Mikado's heart skipped a beat when Izaya set his phone aside and grabbed the teen's ankle, his touch sending shivers down Mikado's spine.

"Whoa!" Mikado yelped as Izaya pulled on the teen's leg, dragging him over the couch cushions and into his lap. Mikado blinked, surprised for a moment before he smiled.

 _I did it! I actually did it!_ He thought proudly.  _It wasn't hard at all, I don't know what I was so scared of all this time!_

Mikado shifted his focus back to his lover and shivered as he met with the man's molten red eyes. "Are you seducing me Mi-ka-do~?" Izaya teased with a purr. The teen could feel the feeling the heat in his stomach grow at the tone of his lover's voice.

"Y-yes?" Mikado breathed shyly, his eyelashes fluttering as Izaya chuckled deeply. The teen shifted so he was straddling the older man. He bit his lip nervously, searching Izaya's eyes for some sort of sign to continue. Izaya smirked as his eyes flickered down to the teen's lips.

Mikado leaned forward and crashed their lips together. Izaya eagerly opened his mouth, allowing Mikado to slide his tongue into his mouth. Mikado moaned as their tongues rubbed against each other messily for what seemed like forever. Saliva ran down the corner of Mikado's mouth, escaping from their opened mouths as they kissed.

"Mhm…"

Mikado gave a breathy sigh into the kiss as Izaya's hands crept up his shirt, he could feel the heat of Izaya's skin and the cold press of his rings as they slid up his ribs.

"Ah!" Mikado broke the kiss for a moment when Izaya's pinched the both of his nipples at once, rolling them between his fingers. Mikado trembled and rutted his hips against Izaya's, desperately searching for some friction as his erection rapidly grew in his underwear.

Mikado kissed Izaya's jaw before trailing messy, wet kisses down his neck. Izaya groaned and tilted his head to give the teen more access. Mikado slid his tongue over the smooth flesh before biting down, marking the beautiful creature before him.

His breathing was rough and uneven as he felt Izaya tug at his shirt. Mikado moved back and lifted his arms so Izaya could pull it off. Mikado tugged at the man's own and Izaya allowed him to take it off.

Their movements were rushed and heated. Mikado wanted Izaya inside of him, he wanted it bad. He wanted more and he wanted it now.

He slumped forward, crashing his lips to Izaya's once more in a frenzy of tongues and teeth that had them grinding their erect lengths together through their clothes like sex-crazed teenagers.

"Ahnn…!" Mikado breathily cried out as Izaya squeezed his ass through his briefs and bit the older man's lip, pulling it with his teeth. Mikado moaned as Izaya's hands kneaded his ass, the sensation going straight to his dick which was achingly hard and leaking pre-cum in his underwear.

Izaya's fingers dipped into the waistband teen's underwear and Mikado suddenly stood up, hurriedly pulling his underwear off before kicking it away. Izaya grabbed his own shorts and pulled them off hastily so they were both completely naked.

Mikado's breathing was heavy from all the kissing as he looked at Izaya who looked back at him hungrily. The teen crawled into the older man's lap once more, moaning when their erections rubbed against one another, hot flesh on hot flesh.

Mikado wrapped his arms around Izaya's neck, pulling him into another messy, passionate kiss. "Mhgh…fuueh….mhm…!" Mikado panted as wet kissing noises filled the apartment as they rocked together.

"Ah!" Mikado broke away when Izaya grabbed both of their erections in his hand and started fisting them roughly. Mikado bit his lip as pleasure pooled in his stomach.

"Here." Izaya murmured, his husky voice sending shivers down Mikado's spine. Mikado took the fingers in front of his face into his mouth, sucking and swirling his tongue around them. The teen closed his eyes, tasting the man's skin on his tongue, he shivered, aroused by the feeling.

Mikado opened his eyes when Izaya withdrew his spit-covered fingers with a heated gaze. Mikado licked his lips and watched as his lover's fingers disappeared behind him.

"Nhn…!" Mikado moaned when the first finger circled around his entrance before slowly pushing inside of him. He'd cleaned himself in his bath earlier so it wasn't too bad but it felt a bit tighter than usual because they weren't using actual lube but Mikado didn't want to stop for anything and that included getting lube.

Izaya rubbed their dicks together, their pre-cum making his hand glide easier. Mikado moaned quietly before kissing the informant again, saliva trailed down their chins as they kissed. Mikado ran his tongue along the roof of the older man's mouth making Izaya shiver and push another thick finger inside of him, scissoring the two of them as he thrust them in and out.

It felt good but it wasn't enough, Mikado wanted Izaya to be inside of him. He wanted to be filled. The teen wanted it now, he was impatient and his dick was aching for release. He whined slightly and rocking his hips back on his lover's fingers.

"You're so needy, baby." Izaya purred heatedly, nipping on his earlobe and Mikado moaned at the intoxicating feeling.

"Izaya…come on…please," he panted, "hurry…" he scrapped his teeth over the man's neck teasingly, making Izaya groan.

The teen moaned when Izaya added another finger, stretching him roughly. Mikado moaned loving the mixture of pleasure and slight pain. Mikado inserted his own fingers into his mouth, lathering them with saliva as much as he possibly could before grabbing a hold of Izaya's dick, slicking it up with his spit.

"Ah, fuck…" Izaya groaned and Mikado smirked, feeling immense satisfaction in hearing his older lover moan in pleasure at his actions. Izaya withdrew his fingers in a rush that made Mikado gasp.

The teen trembled in anticipation for what was next as Izaya's hands gripped his waist, urging him up. Mikado happily compiled, biting his lip when Izaya's positioned the hot tip of his dick at the teen's entrance.

Mikado held onto Izaya's shoulders as he used his body weight to sink his lover's dick into him. The teen moaned and threw back his head as the large organ slid into him. There was a pleasant burn as it stretched his insides but it only added to his arousal. Mikado could feel every millimeter of it as it slid deeper and deeper inside him.

"Fuck…Mikado, you're so tight…" Izaya groaned. Mikado rolled his hips down, swallowing the last few inches of his lover's dick in one go.

"Ahhh!" he cried out, his eyes tearing up at the overwhelming pleasure. Mikado trembled and held his breath, scared he was going to come right there and then. He could feel Izaya deep inside him, all the way to his stomach and it felt  _divine_.

Mikado tightened his grip on Izaya's shoulders and lifted himself up before back down. He quickened his pace, Izaya guiding him up and down while he also thrust up from below.

"Ahh! Ah! Ah! Aahh!" Mikado moaned as every thrust hit his prostate directly, turning him into a mess. His entire body bounced as he rode Izaya, his dick slapping against the older man's stomach with each thrust with a wet smacking sound that was drowned out but the sound of Mikado's ass meeting Izaya's thighs as they fucked hard and fast.

"Ah, Izaya! God,…ah, ah!" Mikado clung to man, clawing at his shoulders. Izaya groaned, pressing his face into Mikado's chest as he concentrated on the pleasure of being inside the teen.

Mikado's mind felt like mush as he babbled and moaned incoherently. His mind was completely overwhelmed by the intense pleasure that was controlling his body. He couldn't stop his hips if he tried to, his movement's automatic as he chased after his rapidly building climax.

"Fuck...baby, you're so hot…" Izaya groaned between pants, he licked the teen's sweaty neck.

"Ah! Izaya…please! Please touch me!" Mikado begged, and Izaya moaned. The teen's body shuddered as the informant took a hold of his aching erection, stroking the tip with his thumb.

"Oh god!" Mikado shuddered. "I'm- Izaya! Ah! -coming!" he moaned just before he met his climax. Mikado screamed as his vision went white and his dick spurted thick, hot cum over Izaya's chest.

Izaya groaned as Mikado's inner walls clenched around him, twitching uncontrollably as the teen orgasmed.

"Ah fuck, Mikado!" Izaya groaned as the feeling sent him over the edge, spilling his hot cum inside his lover, coating his raw insides with his release. Mikado moaned weakly at the feeling of Izaya filling him up.

Mikado collapsed into Izaya's chest as the man melted into the sofa. They panted heavily, covered in sweat. Mikado's eyes were clouded over with pleasure as he struggled to catch his breath and reboot his brain.

"Babe…" Izaya gently touched Mikado's thigh. "I can't pull out like this…" he murmured. Mikado shook his head, he could feel Izaya's member becoming soft and shrinking inside of him but he didn't want to be disconnected from the man just yet.

"I-it's fine…" Mikado nuzzled his face into Izaya's neck, enjoying the musky smell of sex on his skin. Izaya chuckled slightly,

"Do you want to do it again?" he purred into the teen's ear and Mikado shivered. The teen met eyes with Izaya, seeing the glint of amusement and desire mixed together. Mikado gave a breathy chuckle and rested his forehead on Izaya's.

"Give me a break first." He said with a breathless smile. Izaya chuckled and kissed his cheek. Mikado closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth from Izaya's body, the contact and the connection deep inside of him.

He felt exhausted but he could also feel the hum of his orgasm pumping through his veins, which hadn't faded away just yet. Mikado looked into Izaya's eyes as the older man's hands traced up and down his back gently.

Izaya looked happy, satisfied and blissed out. Mikado smiled and pulled the man close.

"I love you."

Izaya chuckled and kissed his forehead.

"I love you too."


	14. Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thefts of Mikado's belongings continue, becoming weirder and weirder.

Mikado peered out the window of his classroom, his head resting on his hand as his teacher droned on about different Math theories. The teen's mind had long since drifted away from numbers to something a lot more difficult.

 _Izaya's birthday is soon…it's also the anniversary of the first time we had sex._ The teen blushed slightly remembering his first time, the pain and pleasure.  _I have no idea what to get him. I can never figure out what to get that man, his taste is so peculiar and expensive._

_At least his birthday falls on Golden Week this year but he said that he would be too busy to go on a trip like we did last time. Not that I mind, we just went away for our anniversary._

_If I ask him what he wants, he'll surely say something sexual. I don't mind that kind of stuff but I want to give him something substantial. He brought me a laptop for Christmas and a smartphone for my birthday – All I gave him a free pass to do whatever he wanted that he's been too busy to even use._

_But what do you buy someone that has everything?_ Mikado thought with a frown. He faintly heard the bell ring but he was too deep in thought to process what it meant until someone waved their hand in front of his face.

"Ryu-kun~? Hello? We have P.E!" the girl in front of him called trying playfully to get his attention. He flinched slightly before realising what was happening.

"O-oh! Thank you Satome-san." He smiled politely before standing up.

Surprisingly, some of the girls in Mikado's class had gotten very friendly with him since the start of the year. It had taken him a while to realise it was because they were the same girls from the cooking club to whom he'd accidentally let slip that he was dating a guy.

He wasn't as concerned with keeping his sexuality a secret as he was when Masaomi was around but he had decided to be cautiously friendly with them so they wouldn't be tempted to spread nasty rumours about him.

 _Kida would be losing his mind if he could see me now._ The blue-eyed teen thought with a wry smile as he grabbed his gym bag and walked to the gym with his growing group of female friends.

Mikado found it amusing that a small number of the class' girls flocked around him because he was gay, one would think it would be the opposite but he assumed the portrayal of gay friends in western media was to blame.

Mikado chatted with Anri and a few of the other girls as they walked to the gym change rooms. He'd been watching his friend for any sign that the new additions to the group made her uncomfortable but she seemed rather happy to have more people to talk too.

The teen separated from the group of girls when they reached the change rooms, obviously unable to go in with them. Mikado had a similar feeling about the school locker room as he did with the sauna at the gym. He found it uncomfortable so he always headed to the adjoined toilets to change.

He wasn't the only one, there was a hand few of other students that didn't want to change in front of their classmates for various reasons whether it was body issues, an imperfection or just plain shyness. Changing in the toilets was just a more private and comfortable thing to do for many students.

"E-eh?" Mikado's blue eyes widened when he saw the sign stuck to the door that led to the bathroom –

**[No changing in the bathroom.]**

_Oh no…this isn't good…this isn't good at all…_ Mikado thought nervously, a few of his fellow toilet changing classmates shared his uneasy expression.

"U-um, excuse me, Sato-kun, but do know why we can't change in the toilets?" the teen asked one of his nearby classmates that was in the track and field team.

The brown-haired boy looked up, stopping in the middle of putting his shirt on. "Oh, apparently there were some complaints from students actually needing to use the toilets. So they decided to ban it because apparently 'there is no reason for people to change elsewhere but the changing room'" the other teen seemingly mimicked the voice of someone Mikado didn't recognise.

The teen bit his lip. He wasn't bothered purely by the fact that he was gay and the changing room was full of his mostly naked classmates but also the fact that he was regularly littered in marks that Izaya left on his body.

Even now, under his uniform, he was covered in marks from a particularly passionate night he'd shared with his lover several days ago. Aside from the hickeys and the love bites, the bruises he had on his hips and thighs from Izaya's hands that were obviously much too big to belong to any female.

And probably most concerning, the thing that could get him expelled, was the knife that was strapped to his ankle. He always wore it, only taking it off during P.E because his shorts couldn't cover the weapon. He obviously couldn't let anyone see it.

Mikado waited anxiously until the changing room was basically empty before scurrying over to an abandoned corner to change as fast as he could. Luckily, no one noticed anything amiss as he stashed his uniform into his bag, hiding the knife in his jeans before safely zipping up the bag.

The teen hurried zipped up his tracksuit jacket to cover up his mark ridden neck before racing outside to join the rest of the class, earning a light scolding for being late.

"Ryugamine-kun!" His teacher called out to him when the class was over, the teen paused and waited as the teacher jogged over to him.

 _Why does the teacher want to talk to me? Am I in that much trouble for taking too long to change?_ The teen thought nervously.

"I just wanted to express how impressed I am with your progress. I knew you would start enjoying sports soon enough!" the man smiled proudly.

"Oh, thank you. I recently joined a gym outside of school because I wanted to be healthier." The teen explained with an innocent smile.

 _It's not like I joined a gym because I'm a founder of a powerful gang and have a high chance of getting into dangerous and violent situations._ He thought, amused.

"That's great. It's good to see a young man such as yourself being active, so many of them would rather stay at home and play video games." The man said mournfully before perking back up. "At any rate, if you keep going the way you are, your grades in this class will improve without a doubt!" the teacher smiled broadly.

"Thank you, Sensei." Mikado smiled and bowed slightly before heading to the change room to find it all but empty.

 _Well, that worked well didn't it?_ The teen thought happily.  _I guess everyone's so eager to go for lunch that they didn't mess around while getting changed._

The teen walked over to the corner where his bag was and blinked. "Huh?" his bag was wide open with some of its contents poking out hazardously.

"Shit." Mikado hurried to check the bag for his valuables such as his phones and knife only to sigh in relief when they were safely within the bag.

"Oh thank god. Why does this keep happening to me?" he muttered, strapping his knife to his ankle and pulled on the jeans he'd been wearing to school. He unzipped his tracksuit jacket and dug through his bag, his blue eyes widening as he realised that his uniform was missing.

"What the hell? No way!" He exclaimed in disbelief. "M-my shirt and blazer are gone, even my tie!"

Mikado stood there in shocked confusion. "What...why…who would steal my uniform?" he shook his head, dumbfounded.

 _No, surely no one stole it. Maybe someone accidentally got it mixed up in their things or someone hid it as a joke…_ the teen thought with a frown. Mikado checked the entire change room, he checked under benches, in the showers, in lockers, in the toilets but his clothes were nowhere to be found.

 _I don't get it, why would someone take my uniform? It could be a misunderstanding but I know I zipped up my bag before I left the room._ The teen zipped up his jacket once more and headed to the classroom, eager to find out where his clothes had disappeared to.

His classroom was noisy and busy as everyone got their wallets or lunches out of their bag.

"E-excuse me!" he called out from the front of the class only catching the attention of a few people.

"What's up, Class rep!?" one of the boys yelled loudly, drawing the attention of most of the class, there was a nice silence that settled over a majority of the class as they waited for him to speak.

"Um, did anyone get my clothes mixed up in their gym bag? I can't find my uniform anywhere." Mikado asked sheepishly, looking at his class with big blue eyes.

_Someone, surely someone has it. It's just a misunderstanding, I mean who would steal a uniform?_

There was a murmur and a rustle of movement and fabric as his classmates graciously checked their bags for the innocent blue-eyed teen but no one found anything.

"Sorry, class rep. None of us have it."

"Ah, thank you. Sorry for bothering you." The teen bowed politely. Mikado deflated slightly as his classmates went about their business.

"Are your clothes really missing Ryugamine-kun?" Anri's quiet voice asked him as she approached with the other girls. The teen nodded with a frown.

"Maybe you should report it to the teacher's lounge? I mean, isn't kind of weird that your entire uniform went missing?" Aki, a girl with long black hair asked nervously.

"You…don't think it was bullies do you?" Anri asked worriedly, "Like how my shoes used to get stolen?"

"Why would someone want to bully Ryugamine-kun? He's one of the most likable people in our class." Satome protested, shaking her head as Mikado put his gym bag away before they started walking to the teachers' lounge.

 _Who would want to bully me? I've been careful to remain neutral to everyone._ Mikado bit the inside of his cheek.  _I don't know of anyone who dislikes me to such a personal level to steal my clothes._

 _I guess I really will have to buy another uniform with or without Izaya…_ Mikado thought sadly.  _I wanted to go with him…_

"Maybe they're jealous of all us girls hanging around him!" Sayuri, a girl with a side ponytail giggled, obviously finding it funny. Mikado chuckled along with the group.

_Though, stealing someone's clothes is a rather girl-like bulling method like putting thumbtacks in someone's shoes. Guys usually have a more straightforward way of bullying like throwing insults or punches._

_I can't see why a girl would bully me though. I can't think of anyone I've upset._ Mikado thought, searching his memories for anything that could have led to this behaviour but he came up empty.

"Ryugamine-senpai!" a familiar voice called out before someone latched onto his arm. Mikado looked down into the beaming face of Kuronuma Aoba.

"Hello, Kuronuma-kun." Mikado forced a smile on his face and awkwardly pulled his arm away from the smaller male. For some unknown reason, the girlish boy had taken a rather passionate liking to Mikado which the older teen did not welcome at all.

 _This guy again…_ Mikado internally grumbled as he turned away from the younger teen.  _I_   _don't get why he keeps clinging to me, what is he, a child?_ Mikado thought as some of the girls explained the situation of his missing clothes to the kouhai.

Mikado knocked on the door and got greeted with a gruff - "Come in." The teen opened the sliding door and glanced around for a familiar teacher.

"Oh, Ryugamine-kun!" his homeroom teacher smiled and the teen walked over to him, leaving everyone else to wait in the corridor. "How can I help you?" the middle-aged man asked looking at the teen with kind brown eyes.

"Well, um, I'm not really sure who to talk to about this but I think my uniform was stolen." Mikado quietly explained, wringing his hands together nervously.

"Your uniform?" the teacher asked in disbelief.

"A-ah, yes." Mikado nodded frantically. "I just had gym class and when back to the change room, my bag was open and my uniform was missing."

"Now, are you sure it's not just a prank?" the teacher chuckled and Mikado shook his head.  _Why do the teachers in this school never take things like this seriously? They wonder why there's so much bullying here._

"I searched the locker room and asked my class but no one had it. I-I can't think of anyone who would want to prank me a-anyway, sir." Mikado chewed his bottom lip, making a show of being timid and well-mannered

"I guess that is true, you are the class rep after all." The man nodded. "Well, to be honest, there isn't much we can do." The teacher shrugged. "We can try and ask the different classes and keep an eye out for it but I doubt the person who did this will come clean."

_Wow. I can't believe this, our uniforms aren't cheap. They don't even care that there was a theft. God, the gym was more concerned and that was just over a drink bottle!_

"Oh, I see." Mikado frowned. "Well, thank you anyway." The teen bowed before leaving.

_Thanks for nothing!_

"What did they say Ryugamine-kun?" Anri asked nervously. Mikado shook his head with a sigh,

"They said there's nothing they can really do." He told the group as they started walking down the corridor.

"Seriously!?" Aoba exclaimed with wide eyes, "You'd think they would be able to do something!"

"Who cares if they won't help, we'll help you Ryu-chan!" Sayuri said with an encouraging smile

"That's a good idea." Anri smiled and the others nodded encouragingly

"Yeah, Senpai. I'm sure we could find it if we tried!" Aoba said cheerfully and Mikado smiled at the group.

"It's okay, I needed to get a new one anyway," Mikado commented with a calm smile. "I was meant to go a few weeks ago but I kept putting it off."

"Maybe so but I think we should still look for the person who did it," Aki stated, her hazel eyes serious with concern. Mikado nodded in agreement.

"Alright but I think we should eat out lunch first and then look." He suggested, rubbing his stomach as it complained in hunger.

"Now that's a good idea." Satome and the rest of the group chuckled, talking about how hungry they were.

Mikado narrowed his eyes though as the rest of the group chattered on the way back to the classroom.

_Seriously though...who would steal my uniform…? And more importantly, why?_


	15. In My Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreams often leave something to be desired...

_"_ _Your entire uniform?"_ Izaya's voice echoed through the phone in disbelief.

"Yup. My blazer, shirt, and my tie were all missing." Mikado told his boyfriend twirling his pen in his hand as he stared at his homework, not really paying attention to it

 _"_ _That's so bizarre. Say, didn't someone steal your things before?"_ the older man questioned and the teen imagined he was frowning as he leaned back in his desk chair.

"Yeah, my drink bottle got stolen at the gym a few weeks ago."

 _"_ _No, not that. Though that was strange too… but last year, didn't your notes get stolen out of your notebook?"_ Izaya commented. " _I remember that vividly for…various reasons~_ " he purred suggestively making the teen blush.

 _Oh god, I remember that…on this very coffee table…on my notes…_ Mikado shook the dirty memories from his head and tried to focus once more.

"Yeah. My notes and stationary went missing continuously." The teen agreed. "Sometimes my food but that's pretty normal."

The teen could hear Izaya hum over the phone, obviously thinking about something. " _Could it be the same person maybe? Maybe someone is targeting you."_  Izaya suggested casually. Mikado frowned.

"It could be that I'm an easy target. I mean, when you think about it, I've been having trouble since I came to Ikebukuro."

 _"_ _Oh, are you talking about all the break-ins at your last apartment?"_ the older man asked curiously

"Yeah, well I know one of them was to do with Harima-san rather than theft but it does seem rather uncanny." Mikado clicked his pen with a frown.

_There's no way that could have been the same person right? No, there's no way. Stealing things at school and breaking into someone's house are two completely different things._

_"_ _True. I think it's more likely the thefts are school are the work of a petty thief or perhaps a bully."_

"You're probably right." Mikado sighed leaning back so his back met the sofa. "But I can't think of anyone who would want to steal from or bully me, I don't know anyone who dislikes me."

 _"_ _Maybe they're jealous of your new harem of girls~"_ Izaya teased with a laugh and Mikado shook his head.

"Yes, girls I have zero interest in." the teen rolled his eyes. "At any rate, I'll have to buy a new uniform on the weekend."

 _"_ _I know babe."_ He chuckled lightly. _"What are you going to do until the weekend?"_ Izaya questioned curiously.

"Well, I do have extra shirts and I've already been wearing my jeans so I guess for the next few days I'll just wear one of my jackets," Mikado commented.

He'd taken a liking to wearing his jeans rather than the uniform pants. They were so much more comfortable, though they did kind of ruin his image of the perfect student that he liked to have, though, he guessed the group of girls had most likely already ruined his reputation in that sense.

 _"_ _You could wear one of mine like you usually do~"_  Izaya teased with a laugh and Mikado chuckled with an affectionate smile.

"Mhm, true, but…I rather savour them if you're going to be busy for a while." He admitted quietly. There was a moment of silence on the other end.

 _"_ _You are utterly adorable, my dear_." Izaya murmured, his voice filled with love. Mikado blushed slightly.

"Your birthday is soon…do you know what you want?" Mikado asked quietly not wanting to ruin the gentle and warm feeling between them.

 _"_ _Hmm, you?"_  the man chuckled and Mikado rolled his eyes.

_How did I know he was going to say that?_

" _Honestly, you don't have to get me anything_ ," Izaya said seriously. " _I honestly just want to spend time with you._ " The man lowered his voice until it was a whisper. Mikado felt his heart quicken in his chest and his breath catch in his throat.

 _This man…why does he have to be so smooth?_ The blushing teen thought, flustered. Mikado heard Izaya sigh deeply over the phone.

"I have to go, babe. I have a client coming soon." The man said regretfully.

"Oh, okay then. I should probably finish my homework anyway." Mikado said.  _I wanted to talk to him a bit more…_

"Call me before you go to bed alright?" Izaya murmured and Mikado smiled.

"Alright then. I'll talk to you then."

"Sure. Bye babe."

"Bye." Mikado sighed as the call ended.

 _How can I miss someone I just saw two days ago?_ The teen wondered.  _I always feel like something is missing when Izaya is away. I wonder if he feels the same…at least we talk every day, he even makes sure he can wish me goodnight._

 _Though some of his goodnights end up turning into something else_. Mikado blushed faintly. _It's so surreal that I could love someone to the point that I want to be near them at all times. Whatever I do, whoever I'm with - my thoughts always go back to him._ Mikado closed his eyes and hugged his legs to his chest.

_Really, despite everything…I love him so much…_

* * *

 

_Izaya…_

_Izaya…_

_God, Izaya…!_

_Heat coursed through Mikado's body as he looked at the older man below him, his face twisted in pleasure._

_"_ _Mikado…!" his lover moaned below him. Mikado leaned forward and their lips met in a frenzied tangle of tongue and teeth._

_Mikado moved, thrusting his hips slowly in a way that made Izaya moan beneath him, the teen eagerly swallowed the older man's moan with a kiss before pulling back._

_"_ _Ah! Ah! Ahn! God!" the sound of skin slapping on skin filled the room as Mikado moved his hips faster, his breath coming out in short and heavy pants, sweat dripped down his forehead, sticking his wet fringe to his skin._

_"_ _Fuck! There! There! Harder!"_

_Mikado closed his eyes and focused fully on moving his hips and the intoxicating pleasure the repetitive movement in that bundle of nerves was granting him. Izaya's arms snaked under his arms, digging his perfect nails into the skin covering Mikado's ribs and shoulders._

_The teen latched onto the older man's neck, biting and licking the flawless skin there making Izaya's breath stutter. His hands traced up his lover's exposed chest as he gritted his teeth._

_"_ _Ah! Mikado! I'm coming! I'm- ahh!" Izaya let out a silent scream as he came, coating their chests in his thick, white release. Mikado gave a lengthy moan as Izaya's insides clenched around his erection, twitching uncontrollably as he climaxed._

_He gave a few more deep thrusts before spilling inside the older male, his orgasm making his entire body shudder as he came in spurts, the feeling of Izaya's tight inner walls milking him dry-_

Mikado's eyes fluttered open as the shrill shriek of his alarm screamed through his bedroom. He groaned feeling an uncomfortable wetness in his groin area. He reached over to turn off the alarm on his phone before turning on the lamp on his bedside table, giving the dimly lit room more light.

Mikado threw back the covers and groaned at the sight of the mess he'd made.  _I just had to go to bed without wearing underwear…_ he thought regretfully using the already ruined sheets to wipe the cum off his skin before making his way to the bathroom.

 _Another one of those dreams huh?_ The teen thought as he turned on the shower. Mikado was no stranger to erotic dreams, he was a teenager after all. He was not surprised that his dream had Izaya in it at all seeming the man was his boyfriend.

But for about two months the teen had been having dreams of toping his said boyfriend.

Mikado stepped into the shower, the hot water instantly washing away the sticky mess on his body.  _I guess I shouldn't be surprised, I am a guy._ He thought, pumping liquid soap into his hands.

 _I do really enjoy being the bottom, it feels amazing but…I want to try topping too. Those dreams, seeing Izaya under me, moaning my name – is that how he feels when he holds me?_ Mikado shuddered at the thought as he lathered his body with soap.

 _I wonder if…Izaya would consider switching our positions…_ Mikado frowned as he thought. "Surely he wouldn't be offended if I just ask…" he muttered to himself, rinsing the soap off. The teen turned off the water deciding that he'd wash his hair tonight.

 _I have to wash the sheets…_ Mikado remembered with a frown as he dried his body.

"Now that I think about it…"  _wouldn't I technically be a virgin if I haven't used my front?_ Mikado frowned as he gathered the spoiled sheets, careful not to touch any of his drying cum now that he was clean.

His blue eyes widened. "Oh my god…"  _is Izaya a virgin too? I mean I don't think he's ever been the bottom before!_

 _We could lose our virginities together!_ The teen thought excitedly, dumping his sheets in the washing machine so he could wash them, he turned the machine on and went to get dressed for school.

 _I mean, Izaya has everything sexual of mine – minus my first kiss – he's so many of my firsts but I'm none of his. Even his first love was, hell, still is humanity!_ The teen thought with a pout.

The teen had gone to get a new uniform all by himself the weekend before. He had been shocked at the price but nonetheless paid for it. He admired his new uniform in the mirror and smoothed out his tie with a content smile. Despite buying a new pair of uniform pants, Mikado chose to continue wearing jeans to school but of course, they were the closest colour he could find to the blue linen pants that were his uniform.

Mikado made his way to the kitchen kicking his ankle a bit to try and get used to the weight of his knife as he did every morning.

 _I wonder what Izaya would say if I asked him to bottom? I mean, I don't really want to stay a virgin forever and I really want to try it._ The teen's thoughts traveled back to the lewd issue of his dream as he made up his bento from the dishes left over in the fridge before making some simple toast and coffee for breakfast.

Mikado bit his lip.  _I want to ask but I'm nervous…I don't know what kind of reaction he will have…but…I don't really have a choice, I can either ask him or suffer with the fact I never asked._

 _I think I'd rather ask to get it over and done with. If he rejects the idea…well, there's nothing I can do…it's better than always thinking about it and never getting an answer._ Mikado nodded before he finished his coffee and put his dishes in the sink, planning to do them later.

He checked his class timetable which was on stuck the fridge and collected the books he needed into his satchel bag with his bento. He doubled checked he had everything he needed, triple checking for his keys and phones.

"Alright." He said determinedly. "Next time we're alone, I'm going to ask him no matter what." The teen nodded to himself firmly, standing up after putting his shoes on.

"I'm going." He told the empty apartment before leaving with a smile on his face.

_Yeah, I'll have nothing to regret if I just ask him._

_I really hope he agrees…_

The teen walked to school, looking as innocent and respectable as ever despite the fact his mind had been occupied with the thought of doing the great Orihara Izaya in the ass all morning.

 


	16. Questions and Demands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado finally asks Izaya the question that's been bothering him and he gets a rather unwelcome message from Kida.

Mikado lazily traced patterns into Izaya's naked chest as he rested his head on the man's shoulder. Watching his hand move with docile blue eyes, the teen traced the characters of his name, and then Izaya's before running his fingers over his lover's defined collarbone, lightly tracing the marks he'd left there earlier.

The musky scent of sex was stagnant in their bedroom, Mikado could feel the wetness of Izaya's cum in and around his entrance, evidence of what they had done not too long ago. It wasn't incredibly late, about ten, the teen needed to get up and have a shower but he couldn't find the will to pull away from the man he was currently snuggling with.

The quiet noise of the TV filled the otherwise silent room, the changing screen cast different colours and shadows over the walls. Mikado glanced at Izaya's face seeing the man's red eyes were focused on the TV, his skin had a slight golden hue due to the warm-globed lamp next to him.

 _This is so nice…_ Mikado thought, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of his lover's fingers running through his hair. The teen almost purred like a kitten at the feeling of Izaya's nails lightly scratching his scalp on occasion.

 _I love moments like this…so warm, relaxing and safe…_ Mikado thought contently.  _Though…_  the teen opened his blue eyes, staring at Izaya who was still watching the variety show on TV with a relaxed expression.

 _I wonder if it's a good idea to ask about…whether Izaya would bottom…_ the teen frowned, his heart quickening as he became nervous. He was so scared that Izaya would react badly but it had been on his mind for months now so he had to ask for else he'd never stop thinking about it.

_How…I am even meant to ask him? It's not like I can just be like 'hey, let me stick in your ass' Even I have more class than that. Anyone who asks that really has no sense of romance…_

The teen resisted the urge to sigh knowing it would draw Izaya's attention. Mikado had always considered sex to be something special. For him, it wasn't just about the lust or the satisfaction but something much deeper.

Mikado, of course, lusted for Izaya as much as anyone who experienced sexual attraction and had uncontrollable teenage hormones would but he loved Izaya a lot more than he lusted for him.

Sex was the deepest way you could connect yourself with someone else, it allowed Mikado to become one with Izaya and express how much he loved the older man. For Mikado, no matter if it was kinky, vanilla or so rough it left him feeling it for days – sex was about love.

For that reason, Mikado knew that he'd never be able to have sex with anyone other than Izaya. The teen found other people sexually attractive but he didn't have the desire to have sex with anyone who wasn't Izaya. The thought of giving his body to someone who wasn't the informant made him feel sick.

 _What's the worst that can happen? I don't really mind if he rejects the idea, it's not like I don't enjoy the sex we have now._ Mikado thought,  _I might be a bit disappointed but I'm not going to push him to do something he doesn't want to do._

"Hey Izaya?" the teen murmured, trying hard to not show how nervous he was in his voice, focusing his blue eyes on Izaya's bare chest.

"Hmm, yeah babe?" Izaya replied lazily, his eyes not leaving the TV.

"Can I ask you something that might be a bit…" Mikado's brown furrowed as he tried to think of the right word. "…surprising?" he finished uncertainly, glancing at the man who was now staring at him with a curious expression.

"Sure?"

The teen shifted as the older man sat up more and turned to focus on Mikado. He could feel his heart beating in his chest as he swallowed heavily and forced himself to continue.

"Um…well…have you…uh, ever thought about maybe…switching?" Mikado stuttered, his face burning. Izaya blinked,

"Switching?"

"Y-yeah…I mean switching…our roles?" Mikado tried to explain, slightly dodging around the right wording so he wouldn't come across as crass.

Izaya looked generally confused, his brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what the teen was trying to say. Mikado sighed and shook his head.

 _This isn't working, I just have to come out and say it!_ He told himself sternly before trying once more.

"I'm trying to say...ask…if you would consider switching our roles and um,….bottoming…" the last word came out as nothing more than a whisper.

"Eh?" Izaya blinked, his red eyes wide. Mikado flinched slightly, his mind racing a hundred times an hour as he started to panic.

"I-it's okay if you don't want to! I just thought, maybe, w-we could, um, try it because, like, I've never…uh, d-done it before….!" Mikado rambled completely flustered, tripping over his words as they flowed from his mouth at a lightning speed.

Mikado nervously glanced at Izaya to see the man was staring at him dumbly.

 _Oh god, I totally messed up! I'm such an idiot! I should apologise – wait, no he hasn't even said anything yet!_ The teen fidgeted, averting his eyes as he waited for Izaya to say something but as a few minutes passed he glanced at the older man.

"I-Izaya?" he squeaked, breaking out into a sweat.

"Oh, sorry…you weren't kidding when you said it would be surprising…" Izaya joked giving an awkward sounding chuckle.

 _Is…is he nervous? No, he's shy?_ Mikado thought, completely taken back by the older man's reaction.

"To be honest…I've never really thought about it before." Izaya eventually admitted and the teen nodded. "Is that something you'd like to do?"

"Um, yeah," Mikado said, he wanted to say more but didn't want Izaya to feel pressured by his enthusiasm.

"I've never bottomed before," Izaya confessed and the teen nodded once more.

_I thought so._

"But then again, you've never topped either so…" Izaya's red eyes widened as he realised something. "You're a virgin…" his voice was but a whisper.

"Yeah…if you think it about it that way…we both are." Mikado blushed slightly at the idea. There was another moment of silence as Izaya thought it over.

"I don't know…I'll have to think about it…" he concluded and Mikado frantically nodded his head as he replied, flustered.

"O-of course! Take as long as you want!" he had to resist the urge to bow. "I'm actually happy you're even considering it." The teen confessed shyly with a small smile.

"Did you expect me to reject you outright?" Izaya asked with a slight smirk. Mikado shrugged,

"I had no idea how you would react but I had to ask anyway for else I'd never get an answer…"

Izaya chuckled. "Well, that's true." The older man wrapped his arms around Mikado's waist, pulling him to his chest once more as he laid back down.

"You don't dislike bottoming do you?" Izaya asked, tracing down the curve of Mikado's spine. The teen shook his head with a soft smile.

"Of course not," Mikado reassured his lover.

"How long have you been thinking about this?" Izaya asked another question. It was fine, Mikado had expected questions and he didn't mind answering them.

"A few months."  _There's no way I'm telling him it's because I keep having erotic dreams about it, I have a feeling he'd totally tease me plus, it's embarrassing._

"You know, I don't care if you don't want to do it. It's not that I dislike the way we do it now, I really enjoy it…I just thought that maybe…it'd be nice to be…on top. But I only want to try it if you do." Mikado explained looking into Izaya's red eyes.

The older man smiled and leaned forward to seal their lips together with a chaste kiss. "Well, I'm happy you asked me instead of silently dwelling on it."

Mikado beamed and wrapped his arms around Izaya and nuzzled into his chest.

_That went well!_

* * *

 

.

.

.

**-TAROU TANAKA HAS JOINED THE CHATROOM-**

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Good evening._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Is it just you, Setton?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Oh, no response._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I guess you're busy._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I'll just wait._

**-KURU HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**-MAI HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**_Kuru:_ ** _Forgive me for intruding when you are so occupied with your waiting. Tarou waits despite knowing not Setton has left, not realizing that there are now others to speak with anew. Is it a hint of romance I detect? Oh, but I do not know either of your genders. Perhaps Tarou is a girl? The then Setton would be_

**_Mai:_ ** _?_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Pardon me. I hit the character limit. Anyway, the name Setton is not innately gendered. By the way, it is a very curious username to have. Where does it come from?_

**_Mai:_ ** _It's a mystery._

**_Setton:_ ** _I'm back. Evenin'._

**_Setton:_ ** _Wow, very intense people._

**_Setton:_ ** _Oh no. My username is just a play on my actual name._

**_Kuru:_ ** _My goodness, I did not realize it was such a simple reason. Oh dear, I just called you simple. Please accept my deepest apologies and recognize that it was a harmless mistake. But do you realize that you have given us an angle to decipher your identity? You could be Sanpei, Seto…Setouchi…_

**_Mai:_ ** _Saburo, Serata or even Tonpei._

**_Setton:_ ** _Tonpei?_

**_Mai:_ ** _—_ _(This message contains an inappropriate word and cannot be displayed)—_

**_Mai:_ ** _Huh?_

**_Setton:_ ** _Whoa, what function is that? I've never seen it before._

**_Setton:_ ** _…_ _And seriously, what did you think my username was short for?_

**_Mai:_ ** _—_ _(This message contains an inappropriate word and cannot be displayed)—_

**_Mai:_ ** _Oh, you can't type that word._

**_Mai:_ ** _Ouch._

**_Setton:_ ** _?_

**_Mai:_ ** _I got pinched._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Please forgive me. We are using separate computers next to each other, and I noticed that Mai was entering a terribly rude word and took it upon myself to punish her in real life for soiling the mood._

**_Setton:_ ** _You two seem to get along._

**_-BACURA HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-_ **

_**Bacura:** _ _Suuup._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Oh, it's the playboy who plays the recorder._

**_Mai:_ ** _Good evening._

**_Bacura:_ ** _Are you still on about the recorder thing?!_

**_Setton:_ ** _Evening._

**_-SAIKA HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-_ **

**_Bacura:_ ** _Ooh, just one minute off._

**_Setton:_ ** _You're in sync._

**_Saika:_ ** _good evening_

**_Bacura:_ ** _Did Tarou already fall asleep?_

**_Bacura:_ ** _It's only ten o'clock,_

**_Bacura:_ ** _How much of a healthy little mama's boy is that guy?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Whoa, I was on the phone and then went to the bathroom, and now everyone's here!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Good evening, everybody._

**_Bacura:_ ** _Speak of the devil._

**_Setton:_ ** _It's synchronicity._

**_Bacura:_ ** _In Japanese that sounds like a video game!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I honestly couldn't care less._

**_._ **

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _Mikado._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _We need to talk._

.

.

Mikado blinked when he received some private messages from who he knew was Masaomi. "Oh, so he's finally trying to talk to me after all this time? It's been months." Mikado said bitterly before typing his reply hoping his cold attitude would translate over text.

.

.

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Oh really?_

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _So it really is you, Kida._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _…_ _That doesn't matter now, does it?_

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Well, I've been following your lead and casually ignoring your existence for the last few months._

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _So, what can I help you with?_

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _It looks like you're fixing that habit of ending lines after every bit of punctuation._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura_ ** _: At any rate, there's a reason that I want to talk to you as Mikado rather than Tarou Tanaka today. You could say I was waiting for you._

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Because it's not like you could call me or anything._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _No. I feel like my resolve will waver if I hear your voice right now._

_._

_._

"Pfft, what resolve?" Mikado sneered at his phone, he eyed the chat which was still going on behind the private chat window. The teen was becoming increasingly bitter from talking to Masaomi. Mikado had not forgiven him for abandoning him and running away. He had caused so much stress and hurt that it was hard for him to feel anything but anger and bitterness towards the blond that was once his best friend.

.

.

**_Kuru:_ ** _By the way, does anyone here have plans for their extended vacation coming up? We are surprisingly domestic, so we prefer to stay indoors and cherish our love._

**_Setton:_ ** _Love? Are you and Mai married or something?_

**_Mai:_ ** _Secret._

**_Saika:_ ** _i will be at home_

**_._ **

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _I'm talking to Kuru and stuff, too._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _Do you have any plans for Golden Week?_

**_._ **

**_Setton:_ ** _I'm guessing I'll be playing video games with my partner._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Oh, you have someone with whom to grow your love, too, Setton?_

**_Mai:_ ** _Together._

**_Setton:_ ** _Er, uh, love… Well, I guess you could say that, lol._

**_Saika:_ ** _love?_

**_._ **

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Yes, I do._

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I don't see why it matters to you unless you're planning to come back all of a sudden._

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _If you are, I suggest you see Sonohara-san, she's been quite worried about you._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _…_ _No, sorry, that's not what I'm talking about._

**_._ **

**_Kuru:_ ** _If we were to leave, we'd probably just walk around Ikebukuro. Nothing more exciting than shopping at Parco and seeing a movie on Sixtieth Floor Street._

**_Mai:_ ** _I want to see a movie._

**_._ **

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _Are you going anywhere during your extended vacation?_

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I'm not sure._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _I see… Listen, Mikado, this is a warning._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _During your vacation, I wouldn't go out alone at night._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _On top of that, don't get together with the other Dollars for a while._

_._

_._

"Are you kidding me?"  _he thinks he can just message me as Kida after months and tell me to do something! Does he really think that he had ask or order me to do anything because he can't!_ Mikado's body shook with rage and if his phone hadn't been lovingly gifted to him by Izaya, the teen was positive he would have thrown it out the window in his fury.

.

.

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Why should I listen to you?_

_._

**_Setton:_ ** _Oh, but sometimes I wish I could go riding through the forests of my old home with my partner._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Well, we have this vacation coming up. Why not take the opportunity to visit home?_

**_Setton:_ ** _Unfortunately, it's too much distance to just stop by._

**_._ **

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _Just be a normal high school student with no connection to the Dollars for a little while._

**_._ **

**_Setton:_ ** _Are you going anywhere, Tarou?_

**_._ **

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _I don't really know the specifics, so I can't go into any detail._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _A hunch. Let's just say it's a hunch._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _I have a bad feeling right now._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _That the Dollars are in danger. Yes, a bad feeling that the Dollars are in danger._

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Is that so?_

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I'll just have to do that then because your hunches are always so spot on aren't they?_

_._

**_Setton:_ ** _Oh, no response. He must be afk._

**_Setton:_ ** _Oops, it looks like I've got a visitor, so I've got to go._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Oh, I suppose that will be our parting for this evening. I am exceedingly sad to see you go, but I choose to savour the loneliness that is fate's work. Have a pleasant holiday, Setton._

**_Mai:_ ** _Buh-byes, Setton._

**_Bacura:_ ** _So long._

**_Saika:_ ** _thank you_

**_Setton:_ ** _Saika, I haven't done anything that deserves thanks, lol._

**_Setton:_ ** _At any rate, so long, everyone._

**_Setton:_ ** _Night!_

**-SETTON HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-**

**.**

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _Thanks, Mikado._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _Be careful._

**_[Private Mode] Tarou Tanaka_ ** _: Of course. Whatever you say._

**_[Private Mode] Bacura:_ ** _Don't be so formal._

_._

_._

"Sarcasm doesn't translate well over text does it?" Mikado commented annoyed at Masaomi's lack of response to his curt and snarky messages.

.

.

**_Bacura:_ ** _Well, folks, I've got some business to take care of._

**_Bacura:_ ** _Gotta go for today._

**-BACURA HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-**

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Huh? Setton already left._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Oh no, now it looks like I totally ignored Setton._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I'm sorry._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I do have plans for Golden Week. It's my partner's birthday._

**_Saika:_ ** _i dont think setton minds_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Oh, what a twist of fate. At the start of this chat, Tarou Tanaka was troubled by the missing Setton, and now it is Tarou who has left Setton out to dry… What is it that the cyberspace trying to teach us, one wonders!_

**_Mai:_ ** _Oh, are you going to stay home and grow your love too?_

**_Saika:_ ** _love?_

**Tarou Tanaka:** _I'm not exactly sure what growing your love means but most likely, yes_

**Tarou Tanaka:** _That reminds me. Kanra didn't show up today._

**_Kuru:_ ** _He is very busy with his wicked plotting. If only he were always wasting time in this chat room, the world would be a much more peaceful place._

**_Mai:_ ** _Evil bastard._

**_Saika:_ ** _kanra doesnt seem bad to me_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Have you met Kanra in person, Saika?_

**_Saika:_ ** _only here, sorry_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Well, I don't think he's a bad person at all, just a little eccentric._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Alas, it seems that even here, we have more unfortunate souls taken in by Kanra's honeyed lies…_

**_Mai:_ ** _Such a shame!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Haha_

**_Saika:_ ** _sorry_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Oh no. I have failed to comment on the fact that Tarou not only has a partner to share love with. Perhaps my theory about Setton and Tarou is about to be confirmed. Tell us, is your partner Setton? The tale of two lovers bound to wait for each other over the internet, such a sad story._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _They are definitely not Setton._

**_Mai:_ ** _Naw!_

**_Saika:_ ** _are you celebrating their birthday?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Yeah. I'm not sure how yet though._

**_Kuru:_ ** _How sad. I thought one would usually plan an extravagant date to celebrate their lover's birthday. Is Tarou the non-romantic type? Are you not growing your love? Perhaps I shouldn't judge, there may be a reason for this outrage._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _It's not like that. We just got back from a trip celebrating our anniversary a few weeks ago._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Plus, I think my partner should choose what we do seeming it is their birthday._

**_Saika:_ ** _that's nice_

**_Mai:_ ** _—_ _(This message contains an inappropriate word and cannot be displayed)—_

**_Mai:_ ** _Not fair._

.

.

.

"I don't know what she wrote but I'm assuming it was dirty." Mikado chuckled to himself.

_And therefore probably spot on._


	17. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to a rather rude awakening from Kururi, Mikado realises that the Dollars is not what he wanted it to, in fact, it's turning to something quite terrible and he doesn't know what to do.

"Whew, finally done." Mikado huffed and stretched his arms above his head. The teen had spent all morning at school despite the fact it being a holiday. He was there for a student committee meeting, Mikado's role as a Class representative required him to be there to share the thoughts and opinions of his classmates.

The teen didn't mind, he didn't have any plans and Izaya's birthday wasn't until another two days. However, Mikado hadn't expected the meeting would form into a vicious debate between several members.

"Good work, Ryugamine-kun." A quiet voice spoke up from behind him.

"Oh Sonohara-san, that sure was tiring wasn't it?" Mikado gave a weak smile picking up his gym bag from the floor. He'd been planning to go to the gym after the meeting but now he wasn't so sure he had the energy but at the same time didn't want to ruin his routine.

Mikado debated telling Anri that Masaomi had contacted him but had decided against it.  _He said there was trouble with the Dollars but there's nothing going on._ Mikado thought, scrolling through the main page of his website with a bored expression as he headed to the exit with Anri.  _It's not like I actually expected anything to happen._ He shrugged, putting his phone away in the pocket of his jeans.

"Ryugamine-senpai! Sonohara-senpai! Hello~!" an overly excited voice called out to them. Mikado fought the urge to grimace before he turned around.

Kuronuma Aoba hurried towards them with a beaming smile. He looked even younger in casual clothes to the point that he could pass himself off as an elementary schooler or even a boyish girl if he didn't speak.

"Hi, Kuronuma-kun… What's are you doing here? First-years didn't have to attend the meeting did they?" Mikado asked casually. He had never figured out why Aoba had latched onto him like he did, in fact, since Masaomi had left more and more people were gratifying towards him which in his mind, said something about his former blond friend.

"Nah, I'm here for my club. I'm in the art club." Aoba said with a bright smile falling into step with Mikado and Anri.

"Oh, I didn't know you were in a club," Mikado said in general surprise.  _He doesn't really seem like the artistic type but I guess appearances can be deceiving. I don't understand why he hangs around me so much, I mean I got him caught up in that incident with those biker gangs a month ago…you'd think that would have deterred him._

 _At any rate, is he here just for a little chat?_ Mikado prepared himself to respond appropriately.

"Say, Ryugamine-senpai, are you free tomorrow?" Aoba asked and Mikado blinked.

"Huh?"

"After what happened last month, you never got the chance to show me around the area! Since we have this extended break now, I thought the three of us could hang out for a day!" the small boy suggested excitedly.

"Er, well…tomorrow's not…" Mikado frowned.  _I wanted to try and find something to give Izaya for his birthday, I wanted to buy a small cake too. I also have to go grocery shopping in case he wants me to make dinner instead of getting takeaway._

"No… Sorry, I have some things I need to do tomorrow." Mikado sheepishly replied.

"Aww, darn," Aoba said, crestfallen. Right after, he picked his head up again and looked over at Anri. "What about you, Sonohara-senpai?"

"Huh? Me? I don't really have anything to do…" she spoke up for the first time.

Mikado narrowed his eyes. He didn't like the idea of Anri hanging out with Aoba, he still didn't trust the teen. He knew perfectly well that Anri could protect herself with Saika but he also didn't want her to change another Dollar member into one of her 'children'.

"But I won't be a very good tour guide…" Anri looked uncomfortable and glanced up at Mikado who suppressed a sigh.

"Oh, it's fine! I did some groundwork of my own, looking stuff up!" Aoba grinned.

 _Then why do you need Sonohara-san to go with you?_ Mikado thought irritated.

"But I doubt I'll be anything other than a bother to you." Anri tried to deter the younger teen once more but it was useless.

"That's not true! Anri-chan, you're so beautiful, just having you around will make everything shine!" Aoba exclaimed in a way that was eerily similar to Masaomi Kida. Mikado chewed the inside of his cheek as he watched the two of them interact.

His body was screaming at him that Aoba was bad news and that he should step in and save Anri.

"P-please, don't tease me." Anri blushed fiercely, ducking her head.

 _Maybe I should let them go. I mean if he tries something, Saika will make short work of him. Perhaps if that happened, he'd leave me alone…_ Mikado shook his head, no, he couldn't do that.  _If he didn't look like a child I might consider it though…_

"No, I'm serious. So what time should I—?"

"Well, to be honest, I could probably go. I only have to run some errands and do some shopping." Mikado interjected, cutting off the younger teen.

"Oh, really?!" Aoba exclaimed with a beaming smile, turning to face Mikado so fast the teen almost flinched back in shock.

"But only during the day. All kinds of people come out at night so it gets dangerous after that." Mikado told the teen, he had to put some time aside for the things he had to do.

"Yeah, sure thing," the boy said, his intentions still unreadable to Mikado despite how much the older teen tried to analyse him.

 _I still don't trust that kid, there is something seriously strong with him. His whole act is too fishy to be legit. Perhaps it's better to keep an eye on him…_ he thought as Aoba said goodbye and disappeared.

"Are you sure it's alright? I mean, isn't it your boyfriend's birthday?" Anri asked worriedly, her eyebrows furrowed over her big grey eyes.

"It's okay. His birthday is on the fourth so I still have two days." Mikado reassured her with a smile.

 _This feeling in the pit of my stomach…_ Mikado frowned.  _I have a seriously bad feeling about this…_

Though Mikado could sense something was wrong, he had no idea that his fairly peaceful way life was coming to a quiet and entirely unexpected end.

* * *

 

.

.

.

**-TAROU TANAKA HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Good evening._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Nobody's around, looks like. Maybe they're all out?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I know I showed up late, but if even Setton isn't here…_

**-KURU HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**-MAI HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**_Mai:_ ** _Good evening._

**_Kuru:_ ** _And a most pleasant night to you, Tarou. Jumping right to the chat room on the first night of a vacation seems rather lonely to me, but on the other hand, this is the internet so no one will condemn you here for such a thing._

**_Kuru:_ ** _But if you wish to be condemned, I can most certainly fulfill that role for you. The time has come to test whether you are the S or the M in S and M!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Oh, good evening._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Looks like you're still the same._

**_Kuru:_ ** _The time has come to be tested!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I wholehearted decline your test._

**_Mai:_ ** _Sorry._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _And why are you apologizing?_

**-SAIKA HAS ENTERED THE CHATROOM-**

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Ah, good evening._

**_Mai:_ ** _Good evening._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Well, well, another wandering traveler on a day off. Spending your vacation at home will prove to be fatal._

**_Saika:_ ** _i'm sorry_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Why are you apologizing, Saika? lol_

**_Kuru:_ ** _…_ _I don't know how to respond to that._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _No wonder, because you've done nothing to require an apology._

**_Saika:_ ** _i'm sorry_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Again?!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _And what does this say about you, Kuru?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _You're here, too, aren't you?_

**_Kuru:_ ** _No need to worry. Mai and I ventured out into the streets of Ikebukuro to savor the heady taste of life. We went out for lunch, a movie, and shopping followed by the sight of a dashing gentleman stopping a robber along Sixtieth Street._

**_Mai:_ ** _The gyoza was yummy._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _A robber? That sounds like quite a scene._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _…_ _If it was on Sixtieth Street, was it either a black man advertising for a sushi shop or a man in a bartender's outfit?_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Oh._

**_Mai:_ ** _Shizuo._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Wait, you know Heiwajima-san?_

**Kuru:** _Please pardon my naivety. Based on your chat messages alone, I would have taken you for a saint who could not kill a fly, Tarou, but you must have a wider social net than I realized if you know Shizuo as well._

**_Saika:_ ** _you mean shizuo heiwajima?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Wait, you know him, too, Saika?_

**_Saika:_ ** _a bit_

**_Saika:_ ** _i'm sorry_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Why are you apologizing? lol_

**_Kuru:_ ** _But sadly, it was not Shizuo whom we witnessed today. It was rather a playboy whose head was wrapped in bandages and an eyepatch. He was not a gentle fellow, but rather a finely muscled and sensual man._

**_Mai:_ ** _He had a bunch of girls._

**_Mai:_ ** _I was jealous._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _It's very impressive that he managed to stop a robber. He sounds like a policeman._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Speaking of police, I just witnessed something interesting in town._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _What was that?_

**_Kuru:_ ** _There were several dozen men congregated around a pedestrian bridge, shouting about something. They were completely packing the area._

**_Mai:_ ** _Packed like sardines._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Ohhh._

**_Kuru:_ ** _I believe they belonged to a motorcycle gang… Speaking of which, is everyone here aware of the Dollars? They're a wonderfully wicked and terrifying field of evil flora, a demonic darkness making its nest in Ikebukuro._

**_Mai:_ ** _Dollars._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Umm, okay._

**_Saika:_ ** _i don't really know_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Some say the name is short for "gang of people who are only worth a dollar," but at any rate, the point is that they're a very mysterious gang! Despite being a classic colour-based street gang, they rep no colour at all in order to blend in with the city! It's an insane organization!_

**_Mai:_ ** _Really cool._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _"_ _Insane organization"? That's a bit much._

**_Kuru:_ ** _But they are nothing if not insane. I mean, they're a group that has no obvious purpose or identity! If they were a typical street gang, they'd be taking out stress on the rest of the city, or doing it for money, or aligning themselves with a more formal yakuza operation—at least that would be understandable. But the Dollars have no such thing._

**_Mai:_ ** _No such what?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _You're thinking way too hard about this._

**_Kuru:_ ** _The Dollars have no fixed form. After all, how is one to identify a member of the group? Perhaps even ordinary students or housewives might be Dollars? Even a friendly classmate who comes up to say hello on the street might secretly be one of the Dollars… And we don't even know how many of them there are._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Well, yes, but…_

**Tarou Tanaka:** _But are you sure it's not just like any old club? There are plenty of places where anyone can claim to be part of it._

**_Kuru:_ ** _I believe you are misrepresenting the issue. The Dollars are not just a description, but also a group; one must identify with the group in order to gain affiliation, and online or not, there is a type of community that they share. It may be a very loose network, but they are still gathered together under the Dollars' name. Don't you find that rather terrifying?_

**_Mai:_ ** _Scary._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Scary how, exactly?_

**_Kuru:_ ** _For example, it's as if there are security cameras all over the city, only the cameras are the eyes of the crowd. And unlike an objective camera, the observer paints the scene with their prejudice. Also, the subject being observed has no idea that their actions are under observation. One wrong step out in public, and the Dollars' members watching you might detect and seize upon your most tender weakness._

**_Mai:_ ** _Scary._

**_Tarou Tanaka: …_ ** _True but I find that rather cool than scary._

**_Kuru:_ ** _…_ _For now, I will choose to ignore the question of why you would so forcefully take the side of the Dollars, a group no more important than a street gang. But how can you be so certain that the Dollars would never take advantage of unsuspecting people? They are a gang! Their very presence is antisocial in nature!_

**_Mai:_ ** _Gang up on the gang._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _You've got a point._

**_Tarou Tanka:_ ** _I can't be certain._

**_Mai:_ ** _Ouch._

**_Mai:_ ** _I got pinched._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _But while they might be a gang, I've heard it's more like a group that got together over a little joke on the Internet. Yeah, maybe they have IRL meetups every once in a while, but not to go on a rampage and terrorize people._

**_Kuru:_ ** _I'll ask you again._

**_Kuru:_ ** _How can you be sure of that?_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Let's say you are a member of the Dollars. Could you claim that no one else in the group has any ulterior motives just because you don't? There are many people in the Dollars, and I hear that no one knows who the others are… But if that were the case, don't you think someone could claim membership and use that to get away with something truly terrible?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Yes, you might have a point._

**_Saika:_ ** _um_

**_Saika:_ ** _please don't fight_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _We're not fighting, lol._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Of course not. I do not have a shred of personal hatred or anger toward Tarou Tanaka. The fact that we are members of the same chat room makes me like him enough to give him a kiss, in fact. Smooch!_

**_Mai:_ ** _Gross._

**_Mai:_ ** _Ouch._

**_Mai:_ ** _I got pinched again._

**_Saika:_ ** _i'm sorry_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Seriously, why do you keep apologizing? lol_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Anyway, I understand that there's room to worry about that kind of stuff, but I haven't heard any bad rumours about the Dollars raising trouble in Ikebukuro, and even if they were, it wouldn't be any worse than the usual street fights that happen all the time._

**_Kuru:_ ** _But that's not the case. Madness spins wildly through Ikebukuro, and the power of a drifting force ensures that the lighter, inferior parts wind up at the outer edge of the rotation._

**_Mai:_ ** _Spinny-spinny-spin._

**_Kuru:_ ** _I understand that members of the Dollars have been picking fights with people from other prefectures. In fact, it was less picking fights than forcing them. Pounding their victims' faces to force the confrontation upon them, and whether they wanted to fight or not, they would beat and beat and beat and beat and beat their targets. It must have been quite a sight._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Huh?_

**_Mai:_ ** _I heard that, too._

**_Mai:_ ** _That the Dollars beat up_

**_Mai:_ ** _some people in Saitama._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Is this true?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Do you have a source for that info?_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Are you familiar with the social media site "Pacry"?_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I do have an account._

**_Kuru:_ ** _What a fortunate coincidence!_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _So where on Pacry is it?_

**_Kuru:_ ** _Oh! Please forgive me!_

**_Kuru:_ ** _If you do a community search for "Saitama Motorcycle Gang Problem," you will find a group based on that topic. I would look there first._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I'll do a search._

**_Kuru:_ ** _One of the topics on that board should be titled "About the Dollars." That is where you will find the information I collected, but if it turns out that the account was falsified, then I will have confused you for nothing, I'm afraid._

**_Kuru:_ ** _If that is the case, I will apologize most profusely and present my body and mind to you as payment… My body is a meager thing, its value questionable at best, but I would be honoured if you found it to be a physical comfort to you._

**_Mai:_ ** _Naughty._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Hang on, I'm checking now._

**_Kuru:_ ** _You ignore me? Why? I am shrouded in desolation and loneliness. You must make things right by me._

**_Mai:_ ** _Naughty._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Someone claiming to be the Dollars started a fight with a motorcycle gang in Saitama. If this is an act orchestrated by some schemer, then it was enabled by the lack of a gang colour. After all, anyone can represent the Dollars and frame the group for a crime!_

**_Saika:_ ** _that's scary_

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Sorry, I was just looking it up._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _I've got some stuff to do after this, so I'll be leaving now._

**_Kuru:_ ** _In that case, I suppose we shall take our leave as well._

**_Saika:_ ** _good night_

**_Mai:_ ** _Good night, then._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Thank you._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Oh, and I'm sorry, Kuru. I think I might have upset you._

**_Kuru:_ ** _Not at all. Do not let it trouble you._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Thank you._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _Anyway, that's all._

**_Tarou Tanaka:_ ** _So long, everyone._

**-TAROU TANAKA HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-**

**_Kuru:_ ** _Good night to you all. Golden Week is only just beginning, so please do be careful out there… I notice that Setton, Kanra, and Bacura are not here today._

**_Mai_ ** _Good-bye._

**-KURU HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-**

**-MAI HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-**

_**Saika:**  good night_

_**Saika:**  i'm sorry_

_**Saika:**  i was too late_

**-SAIKA HAS LEFT THE CHATROOM-**

**-THE CHATROOM IS CURRENTLY EMPTY-**

**-THE CHATROOM IS CURRENTLY EMPTY-**

**-THE CHATROOM IS CURRENTLY EMPTY-**

**.**

**.**

**.**

_This is bad!_

_This is bad!_

_This is so bad!_

Mikado though burying his face in his hands as he despaired over the information he'd found in the board supplied by Kururi. Someone had indeed been doing terrible things in the name of the Dollars.

' _Could you claim that no one else in the group has any ulterior motives just because you don't?'_ Izaya's voice echoed his younger sister's words in his mind.

Someone had gone out of their way to attack the biker gang from Saitama that had been after Celty a month earlier and it was serious. Broken bones, trips to the hospital, short-term comas – whoever was attacking had no mercy.

They would beat the shit out anyone without mercy whether their opponents wanted to fight or now. It wasn't just fist fights either, they were attacking with various weapons from baseball bats to steel pipes.

Mikado's shoulders trembled.  _What can I do? What can I go to fix this? Is there anything I can do? I don't know who these people are but now the biker gang…are coming after us._

_I don't blame them but…innocent people, the ones who are a part of the Dollars for the community that helps people make friends, talk to people – will fall in the line of fire._

_'_ _There are many people in the Dollars, and I hear that no one knows who the others are… But if that were the case, don't you think someone could claim membership and use that to get away with something truly terrible?'_ Kururi's words echoed in his mind using Izaya's voice once again.

' _That's just how your organization works._ ' Izaya had told Mikado when they were discussing the slasher. Mikado had no idea who was in the Dollars, he didn't have any control over them despite being their creator either…

Mikado could feel his eyes burn with tears as his mindset spiraled downwards, somewhere dark -

_What have I created?_

_What have I done?_

_What am I going to do?_

After despairing over it for several hours to no avail,

Mikado reached for his phone and called Izaya.


	18. Confliction, Comfort and Common Sense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado calls Izaya.

_"_ _Hey, babe."_ Izaya's usual cheerful voice gave Mikado instant relief, his shoulder sagged as he felt some of the tension drain out of him. " _I just finished reading the chats backlog. How are you feeling?"_

"Not that great," Mikado admitted honestly. "Do you know anything about the incident at Saitama?"

 _"_ _Oh, are you looking for information dear? And here I thought you called me just to hear my voice!"_ Izaya teased playfully which made Mikado smile for the first time in hours.

"I called for both." He murmured feeling affection swell in his chest, replacing the dark and cold pit of dread in his stomach.

" _Anything for you baby."_ Izaya purred before becoming a bit more serious.  _"I do actually know a bit about what happened and I have to say, the Dollars sure have some odd business going on."_

"Yeah, I've been looking into myself" the teen sighed and leaned back onto the sofa from where he sat on the floor before the coffee table where his laptop sat.

_"_ _Really? What did you find?"_

"I'm pretty sure that it's new members of the Dollars doing this. They're acting independently from the rest of the group." Mikado explained scrolling down the board his laptop was currently loaded too.

" _Ah yes, I think the same. So…I'm guessing you want to do something about it…"_ Izaya sighed slightly, Mikado could hear noise on the other end of the phone that hinted the man was walking through the streets.

"Well, I want to stop them, but…" Mikado bit the inside of his cheek.  _I don't know how too…there is no way I have enough power to stop these guys. I mean they're putting people in the hospital with bats and pipes – I'm no match for them!_

"Why?" Izaya asked plainly.

"Uh, because innocent people are getting hurt?" Mikado replied incredulously, he thought it would be pretty obvious.

" _That's true but was there ever a rule that said you couldn't do that? Was there ever a rule in the Dollars that you can't go into another prefecture to start a fight? We both know you can't try to control them like that, not now."_ Izaya sounded almost frustrated. Mikado closed his and rubbed his temples.

"I know that but-"

" _Then again, I see where you're coming from after everything that happened with the Yellow Scarves. It made you much wiser with the whole 'playing street gangs' thing especially with what happened with Kida…" Izaya sighed._

"Izaya-"

" _Oh, sorry babe. I'm just feeling jealous of you, thriving in the throes of your youth. I didn't have friends like that, you see. I only had one pervert that kept sticking around and one hateful, violent cretin_." Izaya started to ramble which was getting on the teen nerves.

"Izaya." Mikado snapped, scolding the older man back into focus.

" _Sorry!"_  Izaya cooed, though the teen knew he wasn't sorry at all. Suddenly the phone call was feeling a lot less refreshing and more tiring. " _Anyway, back at the topic at hand!"_

_"_ _Whether you like it or not babe, the Dollars you created already have real form and power. There are going to be people who want to pull down others in order to sell the reputation of the gang…and thus raise their own reputation as well. It's inevitable."_

"I know. I've always known that." Mikado sighed once more.

" _Even if the gang from Saitama come looking for revenge on those who attacked them, they'll struggle to pinpoint who's in the Dollars. If those who weren't involved lay low, they should be fine and it will blow other rather quickly."_ Izaya reassured the teen.

"Do you really believe that?" Mikado asked hopefully.

_"_ _Yes, but there will be people who will try and fight the other gang so I would expect there to be some conflict. I would ask you to stay out of it but I know you too well by now and I have a bad feeling you'll end up in the middle of it like you always do my dear."_

Mikado chuckled nervously. It was true that he always managed to end up in the middle of the events the city had which he didn't really mind so far

_"_ _That reminds me, do you remember that biker gang that attacked you last month? Some of those gangs involved is the one the Dollars attacked."_

"The tiger one right?" Mikado nodded remember their leather jackets and terrible accents.

" _That's right, they're called Toramaru. Their leader has a terrible weakness for women… And he's the kind of guy who will resort to violence in a snap. He is dangerous and merciless but if you are surrounded by girls, say your new harem from school – he'll be less inclined to attack so keep that in mind."_

"I see…I don't really want to get them involved."

_"_ _Perhaps just Sonohara-san then. It's not like she's not already involved. Just be careful, they're out for revenge after all."_

"I…is that what you think I should do?" Mikado asked, he wasn't going to do it at all but he wanted to make sure.

 _"_ _I know I can't coax you to do things that easily,"_  Izaya said with a laugh and Mikado smirked slightly.

" _At any rate, if you don't want the girls to be involved, and you, yourself, don't want to get dragged in, then you should forget about the Dollars. Push them from your mind. If only until the heat dies down, you know?"_ Izaya told him and Mikado frowned.

 _Isn't that…basically, like what Kida had said? Oh god, he was right…_ Mikado suddenly realised.

"But, I-"

" _Let's say that you really do want to stop the Dollars from fighting with other groups… Or you want to stop the Dollars from just randomly attacking other people… Even if you could achieve such a thing, it wouldn't be the Dollars anymore. If your own will could control the actions of the entire group, it would be something else entirely…but you don't need me to tell you that, do you baby?"_

"No, I already understand that…" Mikado said with a long sigh.

" _I happen to think that the Dollars fall under a much broader definition than just a colour gang. Maybe they're not a country or a culture…but there are people with many different ways of thinking within the group. Some are good, some are bad. But you don't know what people outside of the group will think of you. Will they see the good Dollars or the bad Dollars?"_  Izaya wondered sounding excited.

 _I don't know…I would hope they would see the good…_ Mikado thoughtfully pondered.

" _Sorry dear, I've been doing all the talking again, haven't I?"_  Izaya said sheepishly. " _Am I annoying you?"_

"What? No! Of course not, in fact, you've been a great help." Mikado said flustered. The teen tilted his head when Izaya didn't reply right away. "Izaya?"

_"_ _Babe?"_

"Yeah?"

_"_ _Are you excited?"_

"E-eh?"

" _Oh, I'm just trying to imagine what sort of face you're making into the phone right now and I have a feeling you're excited,"_ Izaya said cheerfully and the teen touched his face.

"And why is that?"

" _Well, this is that 'extraordinary' you love so much, isn't it?"_ Izaya said with what Mikado imagined to be a huge grin on his face.

"That doesn't mean I'll like anything, as long as it's not ordinary. I mean, I like you don't I?" Mikado snickered.

" _Ouch! That's so cruel babe! But we both know for a fact that I'm the epitome of extraordinary~!"_  Izaya laughed and Mikado grinned and gave a short chuckle.

 _I know, that's probably one of the many reasons I love you so much._ Mikado thought fondly.

" _Anyway, I got distracted again. I noticed you temporarily closed the Dollars' site, you claimed it was because the registration page was being trolled with confessions of evil deeds. Did you find them in poor taste?"_ Izaya questioned becoming serious once more.

"Well obviously. I don't know if you read them but the confessions were getting worse by the minute." Mikado grimaced at the memory the confessions of violent and sexual crimes.

" _You can erase the boards but you can't erase the people, dear. You know, if you truly dislike the direction the Dollars' is going in you could just walk away. You try to erase the bad things and pretend they never existed but you could just quietly slip away and be a normal person again. All you have to do to leave is ignore the e-mails. No one knows who you are so there wouldn't any consequences."_ Izaya said a taunting lilt to his voice. Mikado frowned deeply at the man's attitude.

"I can't do that…I'm the last remaining founder. I created the Dollars, I'm not going to be irresponsible about it." Mikado shook his head. He refused to let it go. The Dollars was his creation, it had become a mess, sure, but it was  _his_  mess and he wasn't about to run away from his problems like a coward.

" _You_ _ **could**_ _though. Nobody in the Dollars expects you to take responsibility. But if you still insist on doing so, I can't stop you. You have always been a very diligent person so I can't say I'm surprised._ " Izaya chuckled, Mikado could hear the smile in his voice.

" _Say, Mikado, I want to ask you something but I'm worried you're going to take it the wrong way."_

"Alright…" Mikado agreed warily, wondering what the older man was going to say.

" _Okay. Now this is just my assumption so don't take it to heart but…it's not the Dollars going out of control that you're afraid of, is it? I think you're scared they're going to change and leave you behind_."

"That's not true!" Mikado protested instantly. "I-I-I-!" the teen tried to back up his claim but instantly he found nothing to do it with. He hung his head in frustration and shame.

_I am scared about them going out of control…I…I…!_

_No…_

_…_ _Why does he always have to be right?_

_I'm scared, I don't want to lose my own creation….The Dollars….is the only thing I have._ Mikado thought miserably.

Izaya was silent on the end of the phone, he would have thought the man hung up if it wasn't for the background noise.

" _You don't have to deny it so vehemently."_  Izaya murmured quietly after a minute of silence. " _It's not something you should be ashamed of."_

Mikado lowered his eyes to his lap. "I am afraid of them going out of control…but I also don't want them to leave me behind…. I created the Dollars, I feel a sort of connect to it because of that…is it wrong to feel a connection to something I brought into this world?"

" _No. It isn't. But you're not a fighter, you're a pacifist. You're not some trashy punk that goes around committing crimes for the fun of it, you're disgusted by a crime as little as theft – Mikado…You're a normal, productive citizen but you don't like being normal so you created the Dollars in response to that. I'm guessing that you continue to maintain the Dollars in the hope it will supply you with the extraordinary life you dream of._ "

Mikado didn't know what to say. He couldn't deny Izaya's words, they were nothing but the truth and though he should have expected Izaya would be able to read him so well considering how close they were and the type of person he was, Mikado still felt a little uncomfortable with his insecurities laid out before him.

" _I'm worried about you, Mikado._ " Izaya sighed. Mikado frowned,

"What do you mean?" the teen questioned. Was he worried he was going to get himself into trouble? He didn't understand.

" _Do you remember what did I told you before? It was something like: 'In order to escape your everyday life, it has to always be evolving'? The desire you have to change isn't something you can keep bottling up inside yourself, Mikado. Did you think I haven't noticed? You can't just keep bottling up everything, you'll never be able to move forward and change if you do."_

Izaya's words hit home with stunning force. Mikado felt slightly ashamed from being called out on his actions.  _Of course, he noticed, how did I ever think he wouldn't care if I stopped talking to him about things? He's right though, I can't keep bottling everything up._

_I've been such an idiot, I've made Izaya worry about me…_

"I'm sorry Izaya." Mikado murmured wishing he could hug the older man and tell him in person.

" _It's alright baby, you don't have to apologise,_ " Izaya reassured him, his voice warm and comforting. " _You shouldn't forget that you have many people on your side, I'll always be on your side. I'll always be there if you ever need help. So you shouldn't worry yourself sick all on your own. I want to make sure you know that_." The man said tenderly and Mikado's heart skipped a beat that the adoration and love in the older man's voice.

"T-thank you…" Mikado could feel tears burn his eyes. God, how he wished Izaya was next to him.

" _There's no need to thank me, babe._ " Izaya chuckled slightly. " _I can at the very least do that much for the one I love._ " Mikado smiled and his chest tightened.

"Yeah, I love you too." Mikado murmured, feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

" _Ah~ this is so unfair, why do I have to be so busy?_ " Izaya complained childishly, Mikado could hear the sounds of a door being unlocked. " _I want to come home and cuddle._ " Izaya pouted and Mikado smiled.

"I know, I want to do the same." He sighed hugging himself. "At least we can spend the entire day together on your birthday." The teen pointed out happily.

" _Yeah, I don't care if the city is on fire_ ," Izaya said stubbornly. " _I'm going to enjoy my birthday with you."_

"I'm happy to hear that," Mikado said.  _He's actually putting time with me ahead of everything going on in the city, I can't believe it!_

" _Oh dear, it's already morning_." Izaya sighed. " _You should head off to bed and get some rest, baby. I still have work to do."_

Mikado checked the time on his laptop seeing that it was past two in the morning. He'd been talking to Izaya for an hour. "Ah, you're right." Mikado realised.

" _You should be careful going out tomorrow dear, things are going to be dicey. I'd like to tell you not to get involved at all and stay home, I know you. So if you get caught up in something, be careful and come home safe okay?_ " the man said sounding amused and exasperated at the same time.

"Okay. I'll try my best." Mikado promised with a sheepish smile.

" _Goodnight baby."_

"Goodnight Izaya."


	19. Good Morning!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado is greeted by a very unwelcome morning visitor.  
> Anyone like being threatened for breakfast?

To call what Mikado had sleep was being very generous. Though his phone call with Izaya had done a bit to ease his stress and calm him down, the teen had spent most of the night tossing and turning in a cold, half-empty bed. He had held Izaya's pillow trying to fool himself that the informant was there with him but it didn't work as well as he thought it would.

In the end, he'd given up and gotten out of bed despite the fact it was still dark outside.

The teen shuffled around his apartment wearing nothing but Izaya's hoodie and his underwear as usual. It had been a few days since Izaya had worn it so his scent wasn't very prominent so it did little to ease Mikado's anxiety.  _God, I'm like a dog with separation anxiety…_ the teen thought, shaking his head in disbelief as he waited for the coffee maker to boil.

As he waited, he thought about what Izaya had said.  _Do I…actually want to stop the Dollars from going out of control? I don't know the full circumstances of what happened in Saitama but I do think injuring people to the point they need to go to the hospital is unacceptable. But there has to be some sort of reason right? No one attacks like that for no reason._

 _I_   _definitely don't feel excited about this,_ he told himself _._ Yet deep down, he wasn't sure that was true.  _I did want to escape from the ordinary when I created the Dollars, I still do now. I've met extraordinary people like Celty-san and Izaya but I…I want…_ The teen knew there was something deep inside of him, smoldering like a fire that wouldn't go out.

Mikado made his coffee and sipped the hot liquid, holding it with both hands to savour the warmth he'd been craving since he spoke to Izaya.  _I'm just a coward…Izaya was right, even though I know how to fight, I'm a pacifist. I've never been in a real fight nor have I ever been beaten up…_

It was arrogant of him in the extreme to assume that he could control the entirety of the Dollars being the way he was now. Mikado chewed the inside of his lip, uncertainty, and doubt blooming in his chest as he stood there lost in thought, sipping his coffee, filling up his cup each time it emptied.

"Maybe I should try and sleep again. I have to take Kuronuma and Sonohara-san around today." The teen sighed before blinking in shock when he realised there was sunlight shining brightly through the large windows, bathing the apartment in warm, morning light and the hands on the clock said that it was nearly nine o'clock.

"Oh shit." Mikado cursed. There wasn't any time left for sleep, he had to meet the two of them at eleven and if he napped now, he would no doubt sleep through their meeting.

"I guess I better get organised." The teen yawned, he only had to the usual- eat, shower and get dressed so he could take his time and go slow. Or so he thought-

The doorbell rang, the sound echoing throughout the dead silent apartment.

Mikado's brow furrowed in confusion.  _Who could that be?_ He thought warily. No one else knew he lived here, not even Anri. It couldn't be salesperson either because you needed a Fob key to enter the building. The fact that what rang was not the intercom for the front entrance but rather his doorbell which meant whoever it was on the other side of his door.

The doorbell rang again.

He knew it wasn't Izaya either because the man had a key and would just walk in plus, he was super busy with work. Mikado grabbed a kitchen knife, his heart beating rapidly in his chest as he tiptoed his way to the front door looking at the camera that Izaya had specially installed when he lived at the apartment.

Mikado's blue eyes went wide. "Kuronuma!?" he exclaimed in total and utter shock.  _What? How? I knew there was something wrong with this kid!_ The teen pressed the button for the speaker.

"Kuronuma-kun? What are you doing here? How did you get up here?" Mikado asked him not keeping the accusing tone from his voice.

"Good Morning Senpai!" The small teen greeted cheerfully. "A nice man saw me trying to get you on the intercom and let me up."

 _Bullshit, I've been awake for hours, I would have heard the intercom buzz…right? Right?_ Mikado thought nervously.  _Then again I was so lost in thought…_

"What are you doing here? I thought we were meant to meet up in a few hours." Mikado repeated the same question.

"Well, actually, I needed to ask you about something before we meet up with Anri-senpai…" the small teen trailed off tilting his head.

"You could have just called," Mikado said trying to soften his tone a bit when he remembered he was holding a knife, he didn't really plan to use it on Aoba but somehow, he felt safer holding it. "How did you know where I liv-"

"It's about the Dollars." Aoba interrupted smiling but his hazel eyes were too sharp to be friendly. Mikado felt a chill crawled down his spine as Aoba leaned forward, closer to the camera with an angelic smile that made Mikado tighten his grip on the knife in his hand.

"Won't you let me in?"

At that moment, something caught Mikado's eye. Movement in the corner of the camera frame, someone was standing next to Aoba just out of view. Mikado eyed the knife in his hand.

"No? We can always go somewhere else if you like. If it's okay if you need time to change,  _we_  can wait." Aoba said happily.

"What makes you think I'll open this door for you? Do you think I'm that stupid?" Mikado narrowed his eyes. Aoba laughed, it sounded like tinkling bells.

 _He's like one of those children possessed by demons you see in movies…_ the teen thought.

"Well if you don't…we can always go visit Anri-senpai." Aoba grinned, his smile no longer innocent but vicious and threatening. Mikado swallowed heavily, he didn't want these creeps going after Anri even if she had Saika, she was still a girl and Mikado refused to put her in danger.

"I understand. Please give me a moment to get dressed." Mikado said emotionlessly.

"We'll be waiting, don't take too long~" Aoba gave an innocent smile once more, Mikado let go of the intercom.

"Great." The teen said bitterly, going to get dressed. He pulled on a pair of black jeans and grabbed the nearest clean t-shirt. He grabbed his knife and strapped it to his forearm rather than his ankle.

 _I have a feeling today might be the day I actually use this…_ he thought to himself pulling on his navy jacket. He grabbed his phones deciding to text Izaya before he left in case something did seriously go wrong.

 **[Sorry, seems I've got myself in some trouble. I think I can handle it but if not, you can look to Kuronuma Aoba for answers. I'm sorry, I love you.]**  he sent it quickly before silencing the phone and putting it in the inner pocket of his jacket.

 _Oh!_ Mikado realised there was a silver chain attached to the back of the jeans.  _These are Izaya's! No wonder they're so tight around my butt…_ the teen thought, it was too late now though. He clipped his keys to the chain and pocketed his wallet and decoy phone.

"Alright…" he sighed heading to the front door to pull on his boots. He gritted his teeth praying that he could keep his promise to Izaya and come home safely.

Mikado unlocked his door and opened it. Being greeted with a very delighted Aoba and half a dozen other teenagers who stared at him with cold eyes while they stood threateningly, surrounding him.

 _Dear god, I better not die today._ Mikado thought nervously but keeping his face blank as he stepped out and closed the door behind him, making sure it was locked.

"Alright, Mikado-senpai! Follow me!" Aoba grinned, grabbing onto the older teen's arm. Mikado flinched slightly at the touch and use of his first name from the younger teen but he chose not to comment on it as he was led out of his apartment building and into a black van.

Mikado didn't speak during the twenty-minute car ride. He kept his hands in his lap and glanced curiously at the people surrounding him. Next to him was a man that had to over six foot tall with tanned skin and tight muscles, the skin of his arms and neck that was visible under the tank top was covered with tribal tattoos.

Aoba had introduced him as 'a friend from middle school' which confused Mikado slightly as the man was obviously too old to be a high school student, he had to be in his early twenties at least, especially with the ugly mustache he was sporting.

They pulled up an abandoned warehouse and Mikado was ushered out of the van.  _Why does this place look so familiar?_ He wondered with a frown.  _Oh! Oh my god!_ It was the same warehouse that he'd been in months earlier. The Yellow scarves base where the Dollars had fought and defeated the other gang.

Mikado took notice of the large number of people in the warehouse, most of them were teenagers around Mikado's age but some varied to be in their early twenties.

 _This…this could be really bad…_ Mikado thought, sweat dripping down his back as his heart hammered in his chest.  _Why in the world did I agree to come? Oh, right they threatened Sonohara-san._

"Whoa, what's with the ride?" Aoba asked, gesturing to a new and very expensive motorbike in the corner, "This wasn't here yesterday."

"Maybe someone is trying to hide a stolen vehicle?" the tall man with the mustache muttered as Mikado was led further inside the warehouse. There were a large number of people surrounding him now, in fact, and they jeered raucously at Aoba.

"Gross, there's gonna be roaches and centipedes all over this place. Let's go find some luxury hotel to use as our hangout spot." One of them whined.

"What, you gonna pay for it?" Aoba shot back.

"Shut up and eat your roaches." Moustache man said.

"You eat roaches?!"

Mikado wanted to roll his eyes but kept his expression and manner placid as he wondered.  _What's the best way to get out of this mess? Do I act shy and timid? Calm and collected? Do I mock them like Izaya does? No, I'm not strong enough to get away with that._

 _I could only take down four of them at the most before I'm overpowered…in fact, with this many of them, I doubt I could even do that. What do they even want? Aren't they kind of stupid?_ Mikado thought, watching a bunch of them bicker about cockroaches.

"Aoba, can I punch these idiots?" Moustache man asked exasperatedly.

"No." the small teen's reply came immediately.

 _It seems Kuronuma is in charge here…I knew there was something wrong with him…_ Mikado watched as Aboa seated himself on a pile a scrap metal and rubbish, situating himself slightly above everyone else.

Did Mikado find it ironic Aoba was sitting in a pile of trash? Certainly. He'd always known something wasn't quite right with the incredibly baby-faced teen and now his hunch was proven correct.

"Last night, you were asking around on the Dollars' member website about the fight that happened with the people from Saitama, right?" Aoba asked with an innocent smile. The fact the boy kept up his act despite threatening Mikado and sitting surrounded by a group of obvious ruffians made his skin crawl.

"Y-yeah…I had some concerns…" Mikado said, carefully eyeing the boy in front of him.

"I know what really happened. I wanted to explain it to you." Aoba beamed.

"R-really?" Mikado asked uncertainly, though it held an undertone of cold sarcasm. His suspicions already growing.

"We did that," Aoba revealed, never breaking his smile. "Me and everyone else here… We attacked the people in Saitama, as members of the Dollars."

Mikado wasn't as surprised as he probably should have been. It didn't take a genius to piece it together. "…what?" the teen smiled as if he didn't believe what the baby-faced boy.

But he knew Aoba's childish, innocent expression delivered only the truth. "Look, you know that gang called Toramaru. The people who were chasing Kadota-san's van and the Black Rider last month."

"Uh, what? Ah, r-right." Mikado kept up his mask of naive innocence and waited for Aoba to continue.

"We burned a couple of their bikes and hospitalized a good twenty or so of them," Aoba said happily.

"To be accurate, you threw Molotovs right into the parking lot where they hung out, Aoba-kun." Moustache man added.

 _What?_ Mikado's eyes widened in shock.  _No way, that many? No way! How could they do that!? This is so much worse than I thought it was! I need to get out of here! God, what is wrong with these people!?_

"But…why?" Mikado stuttered out his disbelief no longer faked. He couldn't believe that they would do such a thing, that the baby-faced kid before him was capable of such a thing. He could feel his hands grow clammy and his stomach churn at the thought of being surrounded by people who could commit such heinous crimes, his sense of reason refused to accept it. He could only flap his lips uselessly and stare at Aoba.

Aoba went on, watching Mikado closely, soaking in the older boy's reaction. "We are in the Dollars…but we've also got another name."

Mikado's brow furrowed, knowing the younger boy was watching him closely. "…Another…name?" he asked nervously though he had a feeling he knew it. He knew it but he didn't want to believe it.

"Have you ever heard of the Blue Squares?" Aoba asked with a bright, innocent smile on his child-like face.


	20. Make Your Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Under intense pressure will Mikado become a diamond or just crumble completely?

Mikado's mind was still trying to comprehend the magnitude of Aoba's revelation when his decoy phone chimed with the arrival of an e-mail. Mikado swallowed heavily as similar notifications and vibrations went off on the phones of the other boys around them, all at once.

 _No…this can't be…they're all a part of The Dollars? This is…horrible…_ but what was worse was the content of the email – members of The Dollars were attacked all over town. Mikado's entire body felt cold as stood there in shock.  _T-this can't be real…_

"I think it's started," Aoba said as he checked the same message on his phone, his smile never wavering.

"Started? What's started?" Mikado asked quietly, his eyes not leaving his phone. His chest hurt and his body felt heavy.

"Toramaru's revenge… The guys from Saitama," Aoba replied happily.

Mikado felt his vision warp. Fury flooded into his body like hot lava, he was angry, furious. His vision went red and it took even ounce of self-control he had to not lunge at Aoba and stab him in his big hazel eyes.

Innocent people were being hurt because of the men surrounding him. He hated them, god he hated the boy in front of him. Mikado took a deep breath to calm himself down, the red he was seeing subsided slightly so he could once again see Aoba's face.

"Why…would you attack the people in Saitama? Why did you do this?" he asked his voice shockingly level for how angry he was.

"It was thanks to them that our little Ikebukuro tour got torn to shreds. So this was a little payback… Does that work for you?" Aoba replied with a bright smile as if he was a spoilt, rich kid who thought kicking dogs was okay because no one ever told him not too.

Mikado wanted to throttle the teen in front of him, scream and shout at him that he was fucking insane and that Mikado was going to kill him for this, he'd destroy him but Mikado knew he couldn't with all the people surrounding him so he remained quiet and emotionless instead.

He knew that Aoba wasn't going to reveal his true intentions easily so the teen decided to play it up to get more information.

"The Blue Squares… I've heard of them. I think…they were a colour gang around here years ago… And after a war with the Yellow Scarves, a number of them were claimed by the other gang…from what I hear." Mikado kept the fact he knew a lot more to himself. A number of boys in the factory whistled in admiration while Aoba looked utterly thrilled, his hazel eyes sparkling in surprise.

"You know a lot more than I imagined. I'm impressed!" Aoba exclaimed gleefully. Mikado eyed the teen wondering why on earth Aoba was so happy. Actually, if Mikado thought about it, Aoba had always been weirdly obsessed with him. Mikado assumed it was an act but now he wasn't so sure.

"Why would you tell me all of this?" Mikado asked quietly and Aoba beamed like a small child.

"Because I trust you Mikado-senpai. Is that a bad thing?" the baby-faced teen smiled and Mikado resisted the urge to grimace.  _I'd believe that for a second, he must really think I'm stupid. Hmm…maybe that's a good thing, if he thinks I'm stupid then he underestimating me…But…I still need to know…_

"It's not an answer… What do you want from me?" Mikado demanded, his voice much softer and timid than he'd like it to be.

"That's a good question. I was hoping to do this after you knew a little bit more about us…but I guess I could just start off by asking you first." Aoba shrugged jumping off the stack of rubbish to walk over to Mikado.

Mikado watched with warily not knowing exactly what the small teen was capable of nor what he had planned. Aoba stopped right in front of the older teen, looking up at him with his doe eyes sparkling.

"Leader…" he murmured, almost endearingly and Mikado couldn't help but frown deeply.

"I'm not asking you to be the leader of the Dollars. That would conflict with the spirit of the Dollars, I suppose." Aoba grinned. For some reason, the other boys present all broke into laughter, the sound rising and falling rhythmically off the walls of the empty factory.

Over the top of that, Aoba's voice spoke. "…Instead, we want you to be the leader of the Blue Squares." The baby-faced teen's long lashes dipped in a way that almost looked seductive. Mikado narrowed his eyes and watched the boy in front of him step even closer but he refused to step back, there was no way he was going to back down.

"We'll just hang back and follow you." Aoba's voice was dripping with a sweetness that made Mikado's gut churn.  _Why the hell is he looking at me like that?_ He might have gone insane himself but Mikado was certain he could see desire in the younger boy's eyes.

_Disgusting._

Mikado wanted so badly to push him away. He felt like Aoba was a snake wrapping around his body. He felt so grossed out his skin crawled and he clenched his jaw as his fingers twitched wanting to desperately to shove the dangerous thing away from his body.

_What is he thinking asking me this? You might as well ask me to deep throat a cactus or overthrown the queen. This is unbelievable. What the hell is he thinking?_

"Why would I do that?" Mikado looking at the younger teen with exaggerated disbelief.

"Well, there are a number of reasons, but mostly it's because you occupy a special position in the Dollars." Aoba reached out and touched Mikado's shoulder with his fingers, trailing them over his jacket. Mikado felt like he was being burnt, the touch was so disgusting and violating that he felt like he was being corrupted.

"What do you mean?"

Aoba helpfully explained, "To be brief, it's because you are the founder of the Dollars." Mikado's eyes narrowed and he carefully rolled his shoulder to escape the younger boy's touch. Aoba didn't look happy at being rejected but then again, he never did.

_I guess Horada's information did spread somewhere. I can't believe this…_

"Is that a surprise? We have our own information network, you know." Aoba smiled before he spoke his intentions. "You can use us any way you want. If you decide you want to end this war and command us to go and grovel at Toramaru's feet so they can beat us to a pulp…then we'll have no choice but to obey. We'll take it. But if we survive and make it out of the hospital, then you really will be our leader… On the other hand, if you command us to crush Toramaru and stop them from harming our fellow Dollars, we'll use whatever means necessary."

Mikado wanted to laugh in his face. As if he would believe such a thing, as if a group full of thugs would just bow to him for no reason. They must really think he was stupid, it was obvious they wanted something else and while Mikado didn't know what it was, he knew it could be anything good.

"What makes you think I would accept such a thing? I can't do it." Mikado asked shook his head. "'If you want to avoid gang warfare, just pretend you're not in the Dollars and stay out of it.' That's the type of person I am. I'm not meant to lead anyone!" Mikado roughly quoted Izaya's words from the night before. It was a true cry from the heart. That was how he meant it and how it felt coming out

"That's not true," Aoba whispered, stepping even closer to Mikado, placing his hands on his chest and standing on his toes. Mikado froze, thinking for a horrifying second that the baby-faced teen was going to kiss him.

But much to Mikado's relief he didn't, he just leaned up and whispered into his ear with an expression that was delighted, so utterly delighted –

"After all…at this very moment…Senpai…aren't you smiling?" Aoba murmured.

Mikado's mind went blank before it went into overdrive trying to comprehend what the smaller boy had said.

 _Smiling…? That's impossible!_ Mikado wanted to scream.

But before he could make a sound, Mikado had realised something. That facing Aoba, the teen had felt such a violent impulse to yell, scream and physically harm the other. The shock from that impulse was so abnormally strong that it threatened to overshadow what Aoba had asked him.

Not at Dollars' first gathering. Not when he talked to Yagiri Seiji's older sister.

Not when the Slashers attacked Dollars members.

Not when he saw Masaomi heavily injured in the battle

Not even when he realised Izaya had broken his promise—

He had been angry, but never so agitated that he would want to shout or attack someone like he did right now.

 _What is wrong with me? Why am I feeling like this…?_ Mikado questioned himself. It was at that moment that he realised that he was angered by the fact that Aoba had been right.

He had been smiling and not because he found his offer hilarious but because the concept of it excited him to no end, he thought of having that much power was like a dream come true.

Mikado touched his face, he was no longer smiling as Aoba had claimed. But he wanted to know what kind of expression he had made because it surely wasn't a smile he'd made any time before.

 _I was…I…what was I thinking?_ He couldn't even remember how he felt a mere couple of seconds ago. Only cold sweat was continuing to trickle down his spine.

"So what do you say Mikado-senpai? No one else will ever know." Aoba suddenly purred making Mikado focus on him once again.

"Uwah!" Mikado cried out when he noticed that Aboa's face was only centimeters from his own and roughly pushed the smaller teen away from him.

Mikado looked around wondering why none of the other guys seemed weirded out by Aoba's behaviour, especially the suggestive tone in his voice.

"That was mean. How can you yelp like that when you see your cute kouhai's face?" the baby-faced boy pouted before becoming serious once more, his smile back in place, "…It's been about ten minutes. Have you made a decision yet?"

"T-ten minutes?" Mikado echoed, he'd been lost in thought for that long? He glanced at his phone to double check only to see he had twenty-three messages which were all Dollars related.

 _So many…_ Mikado felt his heartbeat accelerating at an impossible pace. He also realized that his ears were ringing.

He had no idea what to do. He didn't even know where to begin trying to make sense of everything. The attacks on the Dollars members, Aboa leading the Blue Squares attacked Toramaru as the Dollars, that Aoba had asked him to become their leader or, more important than everything else, was he really smiling amidst the shock and confusion?

Mikado's mind was a complete mess and he couldn't focus on any one thing. They were all different things but so connected he couldn't separate them. He couldn't comprehend what was being asked of him.

"Wait. Wait a minute." Mikado shook his head, speaking aloud without thinking.

Looking at Mikado, Aoba grinned innocently and muttered even words that made Mikado's mind race even faster. "We've been waiting all along, all of us."

Mikado had been so focused on Aoba, he had almost forgotten that they weren't alone, not in the slightest. The boys who were all Blue Square members according to Aoba - were scattered throughout the factory doing different things. Some played with their phones like Mikado while others sat on the steel drums yawning. It made them look like the furthest thing from a disciplined team.

"Well. You don't have to feel so pressured. Isn't your inbox fairly spammed by now? Wouldn't it be better to check the messages out?" Aoba muttered as he, too, looked down at his own phone.

"Though they're mostly just reports that some members have been attacked. Looks like it's still nothing that important. I don't hear any sirens from patrol cars, and it's not like anyone seeking out the Dollars people would come to this place anyway since it's supposed to be a gathering spot for Yellow Scarves." Aoba smiled, his voice completely nonchalant.

 _I have to calm down and think about this…how am I meant to do this when I'm completely surrounded like this!?_ Mikado trembled slightly, he didn't know if it was out of anger or fear at that point.

"Can I go back home and give it some thought?" Mikado asked though he knew it was pointless.

"I don't think we can wait that long." Aoba shook his head as two well-built delinquents walked towards the entrance and closed the steel doors of the abandoned factory. The screech of metal as the door was closed sounded like a song of despair in Mikado's ears as he knew, he definitely not be leaving until he gave them an answer.

"But…aren't we supposed to be meeting with Sonohara-san pretty soon…?" Mikado tried to sway the smaller teen who narrowed his eyes.

"Are you still thinking about that even in your present state, Mikado-senpai? How smitten are you with Anri-senpai, exactly?" Aoba's voice was bitter, it almost sounded accusing.

Any other time Mikado would have corrected the younger teen explaining that it wasn't like that but right now he just stood there, his face pale and emotionless.

"Either way," Aoba stepped forward once again, getting in Mikado's personal space as it were his personal mission in life. "Don't you think it's better to not meet with Anri-senpai today? Surely you don't want her getting involved in all this?"

No, Mikado definitely didn't want her involved in this. Especially now how truly dangerous it was.  _She has nothing to do with this, does he keeps threatening her because he thinks I like her? I know she has Saika but she's my friend and I refuse to put her in danger._

Mikado thought back to what Izaya had said the night before – God, what he wouldn't do to see his boyfriend right now and have the older man comfort him, make his confusion and anger disappear.

But Izaya wasn't here, in fact, Mikado had no idea where he was so the teen thought back to when he'd last spoken to him. Izaya had warned him that trouble would befall him if he didn't lay low. Mikado narrowed his eyes. Did he know about Aboa or did he just have a hunch? Surely Izaya would have warned him about something that would be potentially dangerous…

But then again, Masaomi had also warned him to avoid associating himself with other Dollars members. Did he mean Aoba or was it just a coincidence? He knew both Izaya and Masaomi had access to information networks he didn't.

But here he was, standing there in an abandoned warehouse surrounded by people who were technically Dollars members. Not that he cared about what Masaomi thought of him now but he felt as if he replied to Aoba as a member, the founder of the Dollars, he'd be breaking some sort of rule within himself.

_"_ _So…if I reply as myself…as Ryugamine Mikado…that should be alright? Right?"_

"You won't be able to do that." Aoba reply made him realise that he'd spoken his thought aloud and Mikado frowned.

"Mikado-senpai, you will never be able to just abandon Dollars as it is being attacked and live your life like an ordinary person," Aoba said with a wide smile. Mikado clenched his hands into fists, feeling his nails digging into the skin of his palms.

"The solution is simple. If you want us to make those Toramaru guys a living sacrifice on the shrine, just order us to do so. You won't even have to worry about getting yourself hurt, Mikado-senpai." Aoba purred his hazel eyes sparkling. Mikado knew the teen was trying to push him to provoke him into action.

Mikado just wanted to get out of here. He would not even mind getting beaten up by them all and going home with heavy injuries if that was what it took to get himself out of this situation. Though he guessed that Izaya would have something to say about that with how protective the older male was, or perhaps possessive was the better word. He didn't like other people even touching Mikado so he'd probably lose his mind if someone injured him.

Mikado stared down at the teen with a cold, emotionless expression as he remembered once again, his conversation with Izaya the night before. He was scared of the Dollars leaving him behind but if he acted as a member of Dollars…

More importantly than that, he was afraid that if he admitted to being a Dollars member through involving himself in this conflict, he would risk involving Anri and anyone else around him.

But even so, he would rather choose that path out of his own will than have it chosen for him by Aoba and his intimidating 'friends' that obviously weren't going to let him say no. even if he declined the teen had a feeling they would force him without mercy.

Mikado stood there, a strange mix of emotions ravaging his body. He couldn't name them if he tried but it overtook him in a strange way. It was a similar feeling to the one he had when he got into the conflict with Yagiri Pharmaceuticals.

Not able to comprehend his emotions, Mikado didn't notice that the darkness he kept inside himself were bubbling up, swallowing him as he unknowingly sunk deeper and deeper.

Aboa's frowned as he studied the older teen curiously, noticing there was something different about him, something different from the day before. Unknown to everyone there, Izaya's earlier words had put a purposeful little lock on Mikado's heart so the teen could react in a way to the situation that would benefit them both.

It was a lock that only Izaya had the key to and he planned on keeping it all to himself.

"It's okay senpai. Please take some time to decide. Speaking of which, why don't we use the time we're meeting Anri-senpai as the deadline?" Aoba suggested with a light-hearted smile. Mikado's eyes widened.

_Does that mean he'll let me leave soon?_

"If you don't decide by then, I will call Anri-senpai and tell her that Mikado-senpai has something urgent to attend to and can't seem to make it today. As for me, I will be there in 10 minutes." Aoba smiled angelically and shrugged, backing off from the older teen who realised what the baby-faced boy's intentions were.

"W-Wait a minute!" Mikado exclaimed as Aoba started to walk away. "You're going to-!?"

"Ah, sure I'm going to go. Isn't that only reasonable? If it turns out that neither of us can go with her, Anri-senpai will feel uncomfortable too, won't she?" Aoba smiled brightly and Mikado's stomach churn.

_No, I don't want him anywhere near her! He's too dangerous, too rotten!_

With that, Aoba cast a glance at his companions standing by the gate blocking the way out and narrowed his eyes as he said and those surrounding Mikado stepped closer.

"Mikado-senpai, you can just wait here." Aoba smiled and clapped his hands as he neared closer to the door.

"Wait, wait a second!" Mikado exclaimed, stepping forward only to have the large man with a mustache grab his shoulders to stop him.

"I'm worried that senpai might shout unnecessary stuff into the phone if we called her, so I think we'll be sending her a text message instead. Actually, I should apologise. I already sent her one five minutes ago." Aoba grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief and mockery.

"So I kind of have to go right now, I don't want to be late, you know. Mikado-senpai can wait here and take all the time you need to think it over. …While reading text messages from Dollars members being beaten into the ground, I guess." Aoba giggled and started to turn away.

"I said, wait!" Mikado yelled, finally letting his anger breakthrough in his voice. Aoba was still giggling as he walked the remaining few steps to the door. Mikado was about to break away from the man holding him and charge at the smaller teen- consequences be damned, when cheerful music suddenly erupted, completely out of place in the tense warehouse.

Everyone turned to the source of the noise, their expressions morphing into one of surprise and shock at who was standing outside the window holding the offending phone.

"Celty-san!?" Mikado exclaimed too shocked to hide the fact that he knew her. "Why are you here!?"  _What…how long had she been there? Why is she here? Did she hear everything?_ Mikado thought desperately as the warehouse was filled with disbelief.

"Who are you!?" The voices of the boys who had at last recovered from the shock ricocheted throughout the factory, demanding an answer.

"The black rider!?" Aoba exclaimed his eyes wide.

The dullahan fumbled slightly, seeming distressed at being caught before typing something on her PDA.

 **[I'm just a passing urban legend. If you don't pretend you never saw me, I'll attack you all in your sleep tonight.]** An electronic voice spoke the words aloud. Mikado stared dumbfounded before hanging his head with a lengthy sigh – was this seriously happening right now?


	21. We Can Came to Some Sort of Misunderstanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaos leads to misunderstandings and misunderstandings lead to more chaos.  
> Mikado is having one hell of a bad day.

"Are you messing with us!?" One of the taller delinquents yelled angrily at Celty, who shrugged slowly. Mikado watched as her shoulders moved in what looked to be a sigh before the dullahan flawlessly jumped into the warehouse from the window.

Mikado watched as he put her phone in her breast pocket and started walking towards him, writing something on her PDA. The Blue Squares watched nervously stunned, not moving a muscle. Even Aoba was frozen as he stared at the dullahan with an alarmed expression.

Mikado was rather relaxed in contrast to them but he was still on edge, it felt like he'd been caught doing something really bad by his mother's friend or something. He felt ashamed that he'd been caught in such a situation even though Celty knew he's the founder of the Dollars.

"…Are you spying on us? Or did Mikado-senpai call you out to ambush us?" Aoba muttered under his breath but the older teen still heard him. Mikado was generally surprised to see the woman though and he knew it showed on his face as he watched her with wide eyes like a child being caught playing with matches.

 **[I heard what you have been saying to each other. But I don't feel like I am the one to talk on this matter.]** Celty showed them her PDA once she'd come to a stop in front of them.

 _Then why did you come in here? Did you seriously come in here to tell us that?_ Mikado thought in disbelief. He blinked at the headless woman not staying a word. Beside him, Aoba also remained silent.

 **[So please just pretend that I am not here and continue.]** the woman said adding a smiley face on the end of her message and the occupations of the warehouse blinked at her as they all simultaneously thought the same thing –

_Why the hell did you come in here then?_

Mikado resisted the urge to rub in his eyes in agitation and huff. One of Aoba's men opened his mouth to break the incredibly awkward silence when the warehouse door rattled nosily making everyone look at it curiously before it was forced open was opened wide to reveal a gang of men standing outside.

Mikado's eyes widened in horror as he took in their leather jackets with embroidered sleeves. They were older than him by a few years and all holding timbers or steel pipes; it was obvious that they were here for nothing else but a fight.

"Toramaru…" Aoba muttered, the smile he'd been wearing all morning now completely gone from his face replaced by a cold and calculated expression.

Mikado's body tensed and he reflexively adjusted his feet in case he needed to fight. His eyes studied the men carefully, waiting for what they were going to do.

A man with bandages over his face walked out of the group of men in leather jackets. His brown eyes widening as he saw Aoba and his gang, he turned to inform his companions.

"We found them…it's these guys. These are the ones who attacked us and burned our motorbikes." He said with a feral grin.

 _Jesus, am I really going to die today?_ Mikado thought nervously.

"Bingo for us~" another snickered. One of them, wearing a long biker jacket cracked his neck and rolled his shoulder before he spoke.

"…I guess we're just going to beat everyone in this place into the ground and report to the Captain afterward." He grinned.

Mikado felt a cold sweat drip down his back. His eyes darted around looking for an escape route, there was only the door which Toramaru was blocking and the windows and he didn't know if he'd be able to escape out one of them without someone stopping him whether it was the Blue Squares or Toramaru.

"Do you think we should call the others?" the one with the bandages asked.

"Nah, with our numbers I don't think we'll need reinforcement."

Mikado's heart hammered in his chest as the men spoke nonchalantly before they attacked. Mikado's eyes widened in horror as one of the men swung his piece of timber at one of Blue Squares that had been guarding the door, the teen's eyes widened in shock as he raised his arms to block.

**_Crack!_ **

The weak piece timber snapped in half as it came in contact but from the teen's expression, it had hurt a lot. Mikado started to back up, wanting to get away before things went haywire but he was too surrounded. As if that single attack was the cue, chaos erupted in the warehouse.

Angered yelling and protests from the Blue squares filled the warehouse as they prepared to attack the other gang.

"Calm down." Aoba's voice wasn't loud but it was so cold and sonorous that everyone stilled. Mikado looked at the teen beside him just as the other turned to him. The feeling in Mikado's gut told him that something was seriously wrong, with everyone's focus solely on them, Aoba smiled at him brightly.

"We will stay here to take care of the situation. Please run, Boss."

 _No…no…what have you done?_ Mikado looked over at the member of Toramaru with wide eyes seeing they their eyes were now solely focused on him.

"Wait, no. This is a misunderstanding…" he shook his head useless backing up nervously. Fear invaded his body as he looked at the men before him. He opened his mouth to say tell them he was a decoy and Aoba was the true leader when the smaller teen cut him off.

"Listen, all of you!" the baby-faced teen yelled, his voice loud and powerful. "Don't let them lay a single filthy finger on the Boss! Go!" he ordered without hesitation and the Blue Squares leaped into action, charging at Toramaru with war cries and trash talk.

Mikado watched in complete shock. "No, this…"

"Don't worry Boss, leave it to us!" Aoba winked with a bright innocent smile. Mikado felt rage burn in his body as he looked into his kouhai's face, he hated him. He hated him for doing this.

"Die, you Dollars scum!" Mikado turned in time to see a steel pipe coming towards his face at a fierce speed. The teen stepped back and dodged at the same time the pipe was stopped by a black-clad hand.

"Celty-san!" The teen exclaimed as the headless woman used her shadows to throw the man across the warehouse. Mikado blinked as she turned to him, holding out her PDA.

**[I know this will be hard for you to do, but you'd better run for now. It will be hard to convince them that it was a misunderstanding.]**

"I-I…you're right." Mikado started to argue but soon realised it was no use. Celty grabbed his wrist and together they ran towards the window the dullahan had come from, climbing through it, they jumped on Shooter.

Mikado's thoughts were racing as they sped away from the scene towards the station where he was supposed to meet Anri.  _What am I going to do? I might have escaped now but there's no way Kuronuma is going to let this slide! And now Toramaru think I'm the leader of their twisted gang! I knew there was something wrong with that kid when I first laid eyes on him but I never imagined something like this!_

The teen closed his eyes and held onto Celty tightly as they sped through the streets. Once they arrived at the station, they hurried down the steps. Mikado could see Anri standing with a little girl, a group of shady looking men surrounding them.

"Sonohara-san!" Mikado exclaimed rushing over to her fearing that his actions had already made trouble for his friend and put her in danger.

"Ryugamine-kun!? Celty-san!?" Anri's eyes widened behind her glasses as the two of them ran towards her.

"Um, didn't you have something urgent to attend to? And what happened to Kuronuma-kun…?" The girl tilted her head. Mikado noticed the little girl holding his friend's hand but decided his questions about her could wait.

"I'll explain everything later, right now we-"  _have to get the hell out of here!_ Mikado eyed the men surrounding them warily, they didn't look like a part of Toramaru, in fact, they looked like yakuza but the teen had no idea why the yakuza would be bothering Anri.

The teen looked at Celty to ask her if they could leave but the dullahan seemed focused on the men surrounding Anri, her shoulders hunched into a defensive position that was until one of the men turned to the headless woman and bowed. Mikado blinked in confusion wondering what the hell was going on.

"Thank you for everything. Has Kishitani-sensei or Shiki-dono been in touch with you too Celty-san?" a few of the other men piped up too, seemingly happy with the dullahan's arrival.

Mikado recognized the name Shiki, it was the name of Izaya's contact in the Awakusu-kai. Admittedly, the teen had met him a few times by chance when visiting Izaya's office and had even served the man tea. But he had no idea and was scared to find out what the Awakusu wanted with Anri.

Mikado shifted his feet into a more stable position and eyed the situation carefully, deciding to wait and see how things would unfold. Or so he thought, angry yelling voices broke the conversation and Mikado looked up to see six members of Toramaru running down the stairs, their eyes firmly focused on Mikado.

 _Oh Shit-! Did they follow us all the way here?_ Mikado thought shifting his body to face the men, he knew that his strength was nowhere enough to go up against six men that were much bigger than him but he knew he could take down a few and give everyone enough time to run, he didn't want Anri involved in all and he'd never forgive himself if the child beside her was injured because of him.

But before the gang could reach Mikado, one of the Awakusu's men spoke up angrily.

"Shut up, kids! Don't shout in the station!" the younger men stopped looking perplexed for a moment as if they were assessing the men before snapping back.

"Stay out of this! It ain't got nothing to do with ya!" Mikado noticed the girl by Anri's side shuddered, scared from the yelling which seemed to make the Awakusu men more annoyed.

"You're adults. Don't shout in front of kids. We're busy right now. Get lost." They sneered condescendingly which infuriated the biker gang.

"What? Are you in Dollars too, old man? Really—elementary school kids, office ladies, and now thuggish old men too? The Dollars aren't picky about their members at all, huh?"

Mikado could feel that feeling raise in his chest once more, that unadulterated darkness, that rage as the men insulted the Dollars. The teen clenched his fists, the feelings on his nails digging into his skin keeping him grounded.

_How is it…that I feel like they're insulting me personally? God, I'm like a mother that gets furious when their child is picked on. What is happening to me?_

"You can't be…the ones who wanted to lay their fingers on Akane-ojou?" the men's faces were as neutral as their faces but Mikado could feel the underlining threat and fury but it seemed the Toramaru members weren't as perceptive or plainly, as smart as most people.

Mikado realised that Awakusu were not there for Anri at all but rather for the little girl beside her and from their respectful manner towards her, Mikado guessed she was someone important to them. Most likely a high ranking member's daughter.

"Stop messing with us and hand over the kid already." One of the bikers snapped and Mikado swallowed heavily, a cold sweat running down his back as he took a few steps away, preparing to run but luckily for him the Awakusu misunderstood exactly what 'kid' they had been referring to.

"…You've got some guts, I'll give you that. What group do you work for, you bastards?" the yakuza members instantly became more threatening, their faces twisting into intimidating fury.

"Ah? Huh?" the bikers blinked and started backing down at the sudden change.

"Or did Yadogiri hire you? …tell me, how much he paid you for your lives?" A few of the men stepped forward with body language that meant business and smiles that made Mikado's blood run cold.

"W-What are you talking about?" the Toramaru seemed to realise they'd bitten off a lot more than they could chew, their expressions a little fearful now which gave Mikado a sick sort of a satisfaction. He suppressed the twisted smile that threatened to break out across his face.

"Celty-san, please take Ojou-sama somewhere safe. Shiki-dono should still be at Kishitani-sensei's place." One of the men said before approaching the biker gang. Mikado looked at the Dullahan who seemed a bit stunned before he felt something grab his wrist tightly, spurring him to start running.

"Eh!?" Mikado looked down to see Celty's shadows tightly wrapping around his wrist forcing him to run along with the dullahan but he wasn't the only one, Anri was also being dragged along beside him with an equally startled expression as they were forced to run back up the stairs to where Shooter was waiting.

 _There's no way she can take us all! It would be better if I spilt up from them!_ Mikado tried to pry the shadow off his wrist to no avail. "Celty-san-!" the teen's eyes widened in shock and wonder as Shooter suddenly turned from a motorbike into a headless horse with a two-wheeled chariot attached to it.

 _Oh my god!_ While Mikado was still in shock, he was all but thrown into the chariot by the shadows around his wrist.

"Ugh!" Mikado grunted as he landed roughly, Anri by his side. The teen was still slightly stunned by the rough treatment as the dullahan's shadows strapped him in and formed a helmet on his head.

_W-wait-!_

Without a chance for Mikado to verbally protest, Celty jumped on the horse with Akane and Shooter gave a loud neigh before taking off through the streets of Ikebukuro.


	22. Bring It On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado had never learned to fight dirty whilst boxing nor did he learn how to might a group of people but that isn't going to stop him trying.

Mikado didn’t want today to be like this. His plans had been just to run some errands and do some grocery shopping in preparation for Izaya’s birthday. The teen couldn’t help but to think, as he looked at his phone, that Izaya must have known this was going to happen, or at least to some degree.

 **[Be careful and come home safe. Good luck, babe! I love you too]** Izaya had replied almost two hours ago. Mikado slipped his phone back in his inner pocket with an unreadable expression.

 _That isn’t the type of reaction someone would usually have knowing the one they love in danger._ The teen thought bitterly. _There’s no ‘what’s wrong?’ or ‘what do you mean?’ – Plus, his words from last night were just too spot on for him not know something. Did he know about Kuronuma? His plan for me? What is he thinking!?_

_Aren’t we still trying to build us trust levels after what happened with the Yellow Scarves? I know his views are twisted but this is just too much. Does he even care about what happens to me? I know he loves me so why does he do things like this?_

_Actually, where is he? Wouldn’t this be the type of chaos he loves to witness? Is he watching from somewhere?_ Mikado thought chewing his thumbnail anxiously as Shooter, now disguised as a van, pulled into an underground carpark.

Mikado started to pace back and forth as Celty and Anri talked to the little girl – Akane. His mind was racing a million times an hour of thoughts of Izaya, Aoba, Blue Squares and Toramaru. Checking the Dollars website only served him with more anxiety as a whirlwind of emotions swirled nauseatingly inside his stomach.

The teen’s phone chimed with another email and he checked it, his blue eyes widening at the photo of Kadota facing off with a man with bandages wrapped around his face. He read the attached message.

 _Oh my god. What do I do? I need someone to help me, I’m losing my mind-!_ his eyes rested on Celty. She was one of the only people that knew with certainty that he was the leader of the Dollars. He could confide in her, he opened his mouth to say something when Anri turned to him.

“Um, this is Akane-chan. Looks like she knows Heiwajima-san, but…” her quiet voice brought him to the realisation that while Celty knew about his identity – the two other girls didn’t and he couldn’t dump it on them, especially Anri.

 _What am I doing? I have to get away from them._ The teen remembered. _I’m putting them in danger just by being with them. I know Izaya said that I could just walk away but I founded the Dollars, that’s why I have to take responsibility._

 _I have to do something but this…this is just too much I need help! Why don’t I have anyone I can talk too?_ The teen thought desperately. He could ring Izaya, he knew the man would talk to him but with the informant’s level of involvement a mystery the teen didn’t know if talking with him would make things any better. Celty obviously was dealing with her own problems with the little girl plus the Awakusu-kai and it was too risky with Anri with them. He didn’t want his friend involved at all…

 _Why don’t I have anyone!? Masaomi abandoned me, so what if he warned me? How did he even know in the first place!? What’s his involvement in all of this?_  Mikado could feel his thoughts darkening, slipping somewhere he didn’t want to go. The teen’s breathing was coming up short as he began to panic.

 _I can’t, I can’t – Izaya! I don’t know if I can rely on him right now but I need him. I need to talk to him._ As the teen reached for his phone to call his boyfriend, it chimed and vibrated in his hand.

It was a Dollars message from Nakura, Mikado knew the name well as they had been one of the first members to join the Dollars when it had first begun. Of course, the teen had no idea it was, in fact, the very man he was so desperate to talk to.

[ **This is about those biker gang called Toramaru who are attacking Dollars right now—I saw one of their leader’s girlfriend having lunch in Ikebukuro just now! I’m too afraid to try kidnapping her, but if you feel like you can, please give it a go! She’s the one on the left!]**   

Mikado’s heart stopped and the blood drained from his face as he saw the photo and message attached.

_No, no, no, no, no! This can’t be happening!? Why the hell would they post that!? What the fuck is wrong with them!? Why is this happening!?_

“This can’t be true!” the teen’s body started to shake as he struggled to believe the contents of the message before him, whether it was anger or fear, he wasn’t sure. A noise escaped his throat, sounding like a rather inhuman growl

“No. Just no!” the teen’s composure broke, he looked up at Anri and Celty who were looking at him with a mixture of confusion and concern. Mikado bowed his head apologetically, his eyes shining with determination like molten fire.

“I’m sorry, both of you. I have to go.”

“E-eh!? Ryugamine-kun?” Anri’s eyes widened behind her glasses, shocked by Mikado’s sudden attitude change.

The teen shook his head and bowed once again, clenching his jaw before he started to run away but he only went so far before he remembered something and turned back.

“Whatever you do Sonohara-san - no matter what he says, don’t listen to and don’t meet Aoba-kun.” He warned sternly before once again turning and running out of the carpark as fast as he could.

 

Mikado could feel the blood rushing in his ears as he ran down the streets with sharp eyes. Something inside of him had broken him as soon as he saw that message, the barrier that had been keeping the darkness at bay broke, letting all the twisted emotion flow into him like water from a dam.

_I won’t let them do this! I’ll kill every single one of them if I have to! This isn’t what I created! I won’t let my creation be tainted like this!_

Mikado ran as fast as could, which while almost impressively fast, was not fast enough and he knew it as his phone chimed again. Still running, the teen pulled out his phone.

**[Found the girls. We’re going to have a party with them!]**

“Fuck!” Mikado all but screamed making people look at him in shock and disgust as he ran past them. He had to hurry or else something unspeakable would happen and he would rather die than have that happen because of something he created.

 _This is all Aoba’s fault, I swear I’ll murder him when I see him next!_ Mikado’s eyes narrowed in on his destination seeing a group of men and a van in the entrance of a small alley. The teen thought about yelling about but decided against it, for what he was about to do- surprise would be better.

Mikado made a fist with some of his hands and with the force of his entire body and the speed of running – punched one of the men in the back of the head.

It took the entire group by surprise as the guy fell forward, without thinking and out of reflex, the other men moved out of the way and he hit the concrete with a sickening crack but Mikado couldn’t find it in himself to care.

“Wait just a damn minute you assholes.” The teen snarled, launching into action while the rest were still in in shock.

An elbow to the eye socket.

A punch to the stomach.

A kick to the kneecap.

Mikado tossed away any sense of right and wrong, he unleashed hell on the men before him sending them staggering.

“Ryugamine-kun!?” one of the girls exclaimed shocked, Mikado didn’t have the luxury of looking at her but she obviously knew him.

“What are you doing?” he yelled punching another man in the throat sending him reeling back barely able to breathe. “Hurry up and run!”

The order snapped the men back into focus. “Grab them!” one of them yelled,

“I’ll kill you!” one of them lunged at Mikado but the teen dodged but he knew he couldn’t be that lucky as another punch met with his cheek straight after. He was able to dispatch some of them as a few of the girls made their successful escape but he wasn’t strong enough to hold up against to many as they fought back.

Mikado could taste blood, his entire body filled with pain, his ears rang, his knuckles were spilt and bloody but he didn’t go down. Some of the girls were forced into the van including Toramaru’s leader’s girlfriend and the van took off with lightning speed.

Mikado grit his teeth and continued fighting until either his opponents went down or took off, seeing their mission was mostly a success and deciding fighting the teen was a waste of time. Mikado leaned against the wall,

 _Damn it, I failed…_ he thought, holding his ribs with one hand and wiping the blood from his lip with the other. Tears of pain and frustration stung his eyes as his chest heaved with breaths that were too painful to be normal.

Mikado was a mess, his knuckles were bleeding heavily, dripping onto the concrete below, his lip was split, cuts and bruises littered his entire body and from how incredibly painful breathing was – he guessed his ribs were broken.

The teen had heard the men yelling before they’d left about taking the girls who Raira’s second field where Kadota was fighting. They had also said something about defeating Toramaru and having ‘fun’ with the girls which had made his blood boil and his punches harder. He remember what some of the disgusting men had said whilst they were fighting-

_‘There’s no rule in Dollars that says you can’t take women hostage.’_

_‘Of course, neither does it have a rule that says we should listen to kids like you.’_

_They were right, the Dollars had no rules._ _I was the one who made it that way...but I...those men…they aren’t a part of my Dollars, they’re not a part of what I created!_ Mikado spat, looking at the blood and teeth fragments that landed on the concrete.

He hadn’t been able to think much during the fight but now it was over the teen remembered it vividly. One of the men, was the man that Izaya had humiliated over a year ago when they’d first meet, the boyfriend of one of Anri’s bullies. He hadn’t even recognised him, not because he looked different but because the man was simply so pathetic and boring that Mikado didn’t bother to remember.

As he leaned against the building heavily, battered and bruised, his body buzzed with adrenaline that refused to dissipate, though, it was probably a good thing as he would surely pass out once it was gone.

He knew he couldn’t stop here, he had to go to Raira’s second field. He would never be able to live with himself if he didn’t do something while he was still standing. Plus, he had some business to finish with those pathetic men from before. Those utterly boring and pathetic creatures that go around calling themselves the Dollars…

Mikado chuckled at the thought. _When did I become like this I wonder? I’ve always been a bit strange but this…this is a whole new level._

Somehow, Mikado knew that something inside him had changed, something definite, something snapped, spilled out and the teen knew – he’d never be the same again.


	23. It's a Real Pity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being beaten to hell Mikado makes his way to Raira's second ground where the girls were taken but once again he finds himself confronted with things that make his mind and heart shake.

"Mikado-kun!" a familiar voice yelled making the teen furrow his brow and look up. Anri ran towards him with a panicked expression on her face, her feet pounding on the sidewalk.

 _What's with everyone calling me by my given name today?_ Mikado wondered pushing off from the building and standing up straight.

"Mikado-kun! Are you alright?" Anri asked her voice frantic and panicked. Mikado had never seen her so expressive let alone worried, the teen forced a smile on his face though it was more of a grimace than anything.

"I'm alright." He lied. "What are you doing here?"

"I-!" Anri started to speak when one of the men that had been passed out on the sidewalk stood up, a metal pipe in his hand which was held high above his head.

 _Shit-!_ Mikado reached out to grab Anri to pull her out of harm's way but before he could do so, a metallic clang ricocheted throughout the alley. Mikado's eyes widened when he realised what he was looking at.

 _Saika…_  Anri's body was twisted sideways, the demonic katana extending out of her arm, blocking the pipe. The next second the man hit himself in the head and dropped to the ground.

Mikado stared at his friend in wonder. He hadn't really see Saika before, he'd seen it briefly at the warehouse during the Yellow Scarves incident. The teen stared in a mixture of awe and disbelief as the sword slid back into Anri's arm.

"U-um…are you alright?" Anri asked nervously looking at him and Mikado blinked.

"Uh...yeah." he nodded, still stunned. He soon broke out of it when he saw how distressed Anri looked. "It's alright, I won't ask any questions." He told her with a soft smile which made her smile in relief.

_I already know everything…_

"T-thank you, Mikado-kun." Anri touched his shoulder in an affectionate gesture.  _That's right, we agreed to wait until Masaomi got back to talk about things…I wonder if we'll ever talk about them...?_ "Um, are you really alright? Should we call an ambulance…?" Anri asked worriedly as her eyes swept over his battered body.

"Oh, no. It's alright." He waved off her concern with a smile despite the way his body was screaming in pain.

"But…shouldn't we at least go to the hospital or Kishitani-sensei's apartment…?" Anri suggested, but Mikado shook his head.

"I have no broken bones, so I'll be alright. I have to go to Kadota-san at Raira's Second Ground." Mikado gave a white lie, he thought his ribs were broken for sure but he was rather convincing.

"Eh?" Anri looked confused, doubt and concern clear on her face.

"I'm sorry. I have to go right away to save the girls. They're going to use them as hostages and judging by what they said, they're probably not going to let the girls go after the fight." Mikado shook his head in agitation and went to step around Anri when the girl grabbed his arm.

"Mikado-kun…I think it's better to let the police deal with this…"

"No! If we try to alert the police, who knows what those men are going to do to the girls before they arrive and Kadota-san will be in trouble too if the police get involved!" Mikado exclaimed, carefully pulling his arm away from her grasp.

_I can't let the police get involved, this is a big enough mess already. If the police take notice of the Dollars than it's all over. Everything I wanted the Dollars to be, what I created it to be would be ruined. I can't let that happen!_

They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Anri broke their stand-off. "Then I'll go, too." She said stubbornly. Mikado blinked as her words took a moment to process.

"What?" he said dumbly.

"…You don't want to call the police, right…? Then I'll go with you. I want to save Kamichika-san and her friends, too." Anri paused for a moment as if hesitating, before adding, "And…I want to…be of some help to Mikado-kun." Her voice was full of unwavering determination.

Mikado instantly understood where she was coming from. He knew that Anri valued him as a friend and was unable to turn a blind eye to a friend in potential danger. It was just like when Celty had asked him to help Anri during the Yellow Scarves incident. Anri wanted to help even if it meant exposing her secret identity. Mikado knew that feeling all too well.

But still, he hesitated. Mikado didn't want to put Anri at risk, expose her to a dangerous situation even if she did have a demon sword in her arm. But the teen knew from the fire in Anri's grey eyes that no matter what he said- she was going to follow him anyway.

So he accepted. "I see…Let's go then." He nodded, his face even more determined than hers. And with that, they left the alley and took off towards their school grounds.

They arrived shortly afterward, they moved as discreetly as possible from shade to shade towards the warehouse, making their way to the open ground where Kadota, Toramaru and the kidnappers were fighting.

It was surreal to think there was a serious fight going on there considering he could still hear shouts from the track field, the spare equipment warehouse was such a seldom-visited spot even by members of the sports clubs that it hardly even counted as part of the academy anymore.

"We have to figure out a way to approach them from the back and help the hostages get out…" Mikado murmured with a frown. He couldn't just charge at them as he'd done earlier, he was much too injured, he was sure one tight tap would knock him out at this stage. The only thing making him able to move was the adrenaline racing through his veins.

But then again, what choice did he have?  _Perhaps now is a good time to go out and call out to them. Seeing me again might rattle them enough to drop their guard and let the girls escape or at least for Kadota-san and the Toramaru leader to grab them._

"I'm going to try something, if I fail, Sonohara-san, please call the police…" he said to the girl who was behind who didn't reply.

**_CLANG._ **

A strange metallic noise made him whip his head back around to face Anri. His eyes widened at sight, Anri, having slipped Saika out of her arm had stopped the large knife of a woman in motorbike helmet. She was wearing a riding suit a lot like Celty's but it was white and orange, she was also much curvier than the dullahan making the suit look more scandalous than Mikado personally found tasteful.

Mikado moved quickly out of the way as a dance of blades started, the two slashed at each other, moving quickly and expertly in a way that gave the teen chills. He didn't know what to do, sure, he owned a knife, it was strapped to his arm but he didn't know how to actually  _use_  it.

"Sonohara-san?" he exclaimed anxiously, fearing for his friend. The girl dodged, moving further away from him.

"Run away!" she cried leaping back from her attacker but her opponent also backed off and reached into the pouch strapped to her waist to get something, pulled the safety pin and threw it at Anri.

 _A grenade!?_ Mikado brought his arms up to protect himself from the explosion but it wasn't what he expected.

His vision went completely white as it exploded into a blinding light with a high pitched sound that hurt his ears.

"Ugh…" Mikado had been meters away from the flash grenade but the impact paired with his injuries, he felt more disoriented than ever as his ears rang and his gut churned. But more importantly, despite blocking his face with his arms – his vision was still blinded white.

 _Shit! What the hell was that? Who was that? Why are they using flash bombs!?_ Mikado thought frantically blinking to try and regain his vision.  _Is Sonohara-san okay!?_

He could hear the sound of metal clashing but still couldn't see. He could as hear them talking about him which was disconcerting.

"That boy seems merely human. Pity, pity."

"…I won't forgive you if you do anything to him."

It took a few more moments for Mikado's vision to recover and he looked up from where he was crouching to see the biker-gear clad woman approaching him threateningly with a smaller knife than before.

The teen acted quickly, pulling his own knife out from its sheath to at least try and block whatever attack the woman was going to inflict on him but the woman didn't attack him, she just kept walking, her pace so fast it might as well have been a slight run, the woman ran directly into the fight on the field which was entire chaos with the kidnappers, Kadota and his gang and Toramaru all fighting and Anri followed after her.

Mikado didn't know what to do. Toramaru members had joined in the fight while he was distracted and he knew that if ventured out there, he could be called out as the leader of the Dollars which would be disastrous.

The teen sagged against the outside of the warehouse and tucked his knife away.  _A mere human huh?_

The way she said it was a bit weird, but Mikado understood very well that it was meant as a contemptuous remark towards him, just simply because he was a mere human among so many that were so much more.

Mikado felt shocked, but it was not because the comment had made no sense to him but rather because it was an almost rude awakening.

_A mere human. I've never been seen as anything different…_

_...So why do I feel so shocked to hear someone say it like that? I truly am nothing special. Even after everything, those girls still got kidnapped, I'm too weak to help, god, Sonohara-san even had to protect me!_

_I wanted to protect Sonohara-san, but it turned out to be the reverse…But haven't I known from the very beginning? That she doesn't need my protection? She's strong with Saika. She's more powerful than I'll ever be._

With that in mind, he was reminded of what Anri had said just a few moments ago to the other woman.

 _'_ _I'm…just a parasite.'…What was she talking about? She had said the same thing when we had first met her. But she's no longer dependent on Harima-san or anyone else…or does she mean she's a parasite to Saika, no, that would be the other way round_ …

Mikado felt the darkness bubble up again.  _All things considered…I'm more like the parasite._ He thought bitterly. He had founded Dollars. But that was it. He was not capable of anything, but despite that, he somehow felt as if he was special. He had never wanted to see himself as anything special but he had, and only just realised it now, when it was too late.

That when he was called a "mere human" and not treated as a worthy opponent by the mysterious assailant, he felt so humiliated that he could hardly stand it.

 _I…what a despicable human being I am…_ he thought bitterly as he got to his feet, ignoring the pain in his body that screamed at him to stop moving.

He looked up and saw a man in a bartender suit standing right in front of him, a motorbike on his shoulder. Mikado's eyes almost popped out of his head as his mouth fell open.

"H-H-Heiwajima-san!?" he exclaimed, completely shocked forgetting that the man didn't seem to like him after seeing him with Izaya.

"Oh it's you…you're Ryugasaki? You alright? You look pretty beat up." the blond narrowed his eyes at the teen who shrunk under his gaze.

"Um…yeah, it's Ryugamine." The teen mumbled. He was admittedly pretty scared of Shizuo but only because Mikado feared what the man would do to him once he found out he was Izaya's lover.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Shizuo shrugged and Mikado stared at him with wide eyes. The man literally had a motorbike on his shoulder, so casually like it weighed nothing at all. He had no idea where the man had come from but he knew Shizuo was part of the Dollars so the messages had probably drawn him in.

"You're a part of the Dollars aren't you?" Shizuo asked nonchalantly, his voice completely calm and Mikado blinked.

"Uh…yeah." Mikado gave a single nervous nod.

"I see…it would be kind of rude to not tell anyone. You're a Rajin kouhai, so I'll just tell you…"

"Sure…" Mikado nodded slowly. He didn't understand why the man was treating him so nicely, he'd been giving the teen the evil eye ever since he saw him with Izaya outside the informant's office. Was it because he was injured?

"I'm quitting the Dollars. Sorry about that."

Mikado felt like someone had poured cold water over his body. "Eh? W-why?" it was shocking to hear that someone was leaving his organisation, let alone someone as prominent as Shizuo, who was a figurehead of the gang.

"Didn't you see that text? I don't want to be breathing the same air as people who go around kidnapping women just for a little fight. That's why." Shizuo sounded disgusted as he shifted the bike on his shoulders slightly before he started walking away casually.

"So from this moment on, I'm not in the Dollars or anything like that." Mikado watched the man walk away with a heavy heart. It wasn't that he didn't disagree with Shizuo's reasoning, it was entirely fair but it was a huge loss for the gang.

Shizuo was so useful, he was a figurehead. He deterred a lot of unwanted attention from other gangs, he'd taken down the Saika horde single-handedly, he was such a good power piece and now he was out of Mikado's grasp.

 _No…this can't be happening…please, let this all just be a bad dream._ The teen thought, covering his face with his hands.

But, of course, Mikado wasn't that lucky.


	24. Thank You For The Unintentional Insults.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's over, the kidnapped girls are safe and Mikado is a mess but as he leaves Mikado spots the leader of Toramaru and has a few words to say.

Mikado left the scene when things were all over, he didn't want to face anyone, he just wanted to go home. The teen walked with a slight limp, the adrenaline was starting to leave his body making his injuries almost unbearable.

_I wonder if I should be ashamed…I really want to see Izaya. I know he had something to do with this but I want to see him. I want him to hold me gently, whisper sweet words in my ear and comfort me…_

"You, Kiyopuu and the others will probably forgive me if I kiss you, won't you?"

"I think it would be better if you died once, Rocchi."

The sound of a couple flirting loudly made the teen look up only to realise exactly who that couple was. It was Toramaru's leader and his girlfriend – the one that had been kidnapped.

"Um, excuse me." He called out to them and they turned to look at him.

"What's up? Did you need something, kid? You on your way home from a fight or something?" The leader, Chikage asked curiously, eyeing him over.

"I want to apologise," Mikado said his voice flat and serious as he met eyes with the older man.

"Ah, Rocchi! He's the kid I was telling you about! He's a Dollars member but he tried to save me!" his girlfriend, Non, exclaimed with a bright smile.

"I see…so you were saying that you were sorry for not being able to protect Non? That's not your responsibility at all. Actually, I should thank you for that." Chikage said with a smile.

"Ah, no. Though, I am sorry about that too." Mikado shook his head. "I wanted to apologise on behalf on the Dollars, as their founder." There was no hesitation in Mikado's words or expression despite the fear making his heart pound in his ears and sweat run down his back.

_This guy could kill me…but I have to do something. I have to take responsibility for this, the Dollars is my organisation. Perhaps I deserve it if I die for this…_

"I'm sorry, what?" the older man stared at him in disbelief and Mikado swallowed heavily.

"I'm truly sorry for what those Dollars members did to you, your men and your girlfriend. Even though our organisation isn't one with a leader or even a purpose, I will take full responsibility for what they did as the founder. So do with me what you wish, just please don't go punishing people that are innocent in all of this. Please." Mikado started to bend his knees to fully formal bow when a hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him up straight.

"Stop that. A man should never get on his knees that easily. It's all the more ridiculous to do that in front of a woman—even if she's my girlfriend." Chikage hissed. Mikado blinked slowly.

_I don't care what girls think of me, hell, I don't even care what guys think of me!_

"But-" the teen tilted his head, feeling conflicted.

"Besides that, having a kid bow to me on the roadside when I'm with a woman is just going to make me look lame, isn't it? …And who would believe that the Dollars' leader is someone who uses '*boku' to refer to himself?"

Mikado bit the inside of his cheek and narrowed his eyes slightly.  _Is he trying to insult me?_ The teen stared at the older male with an expression that was mostly blank though obviously unimpressed, the teen averted his eyes after a while finding the eye contact uncomfortable.

"I don't think you're lying, though." Chikage finally said with a smile. "But I can't simply go ahead and believe what you said, either."

Mikado blinked. "Huh?"  _what the hell does that mean?_

"The one who founded the Dollars, in my opinion, would be a filthy bastard who never goes anywhere remotely dangerous…someone who makes the local gangs grow just so that he can pit them against each other for the fun of it like it's a game for him or something."

_The last bit…that sounds kind of…like Izaya doesn't it? Isn't that essentially what Izaya did with the Yellow Scarves and Blue Squares before I came to Ikebukuro? I…what does this guy mean? He obviously knows something about Izaya…that statement was too spot on to be a coincidence._

Chikage patted the teen on the shoulder only further confusing Mikado. "There's no way that the Dollars' head would have eyes as open and honest as yours."

Mikado averted his eyes.  _Just because they look like this now doesn't mean they're always like this._ He thought bitterly.

"If—and I mean  _if_ —you're really the one who ' _began_ ' the Dollars…I've got only one piece of advice for you. Let go of the Dollars  _immediately._  People like you are way too naïve for this kind of burden." Chikage said seriously before giving a sort of brotherly smile.

Mikado kept his facial expression neutral but his emotions were chaos.  _What the hell do you know? You don't know me, we literally spoke for the first time a minute or two ago! How dare you try and tell me what to do! Mock me like I'm some pathetic piece of shit-!_ Dark emotions swirled inside the teen's chest.

"You should lead a normal life. It suits you. To live like a normal person is actually more of an accomplishment from our point of view…people like you should never take the trouble to come over to our side." Chikage said, his words cheerful, having no idea that he was actually severely insulting the teen and everything he stood for.

The edge of Mikado's vision flickered with suppressed rage as he stood there. He couldn't fight the man on his best day so, despite every fiber of his being urging him to attack the other man, the teen stayed silent, motionless and stared at the ground.

"If you're still not satisfied, just come to Saitama. I can take on you one-on-one any time if you want…ah, actually, make that any time I'm not with a woman. Either way, make sure you put up some resistance because I don't like beating up guys who don't even fight back…" Chikage chuckled slightly as if it were amusing but Mikado wasn't happy.

Silently, he watched the two of them leave, waiting until they were out of sight before replying to the man.

"Ha." Mikado laughed bitterly. "I'll keep that in mind if I ever return to that shit hole." He sneered, not bothering to hide the cold rage in his voice now they were gone.

The teen checked the Dollars site seeing that the Awakusu-kai had stepped in to stop all the fighting which wasn't good. Mikado knew that Ikebukuro was ultimately Awakusu-kai territory and if they started making trouble which could draw in police attention, the yakuza would shut them down and the teen knew he'd have to stand before them and take responsibility despite the fact that they wouldn't be nearly as merciful as Chikage had been.

"What a mess," Mikado said aloud, looking up at the sky, whether he was talking about himself or the situation, he wasn't entirely sure. The emotions swirling inside of him were like a storm, he could barely pinpoint a single one but the ones he did - they weren't good ones.

He started to walk but staggered as his knee locked, he leaned heavily against a light post, tears burning his eyes. Something between a sob and a laugh left his lips before it bubbled into a self-deprecating chuckle and then formed into a full-on laugh, an unstable maniacal laughter as tears ran down his cheeks.

Because it was all just too  _ridiculous_. All too  _funny_ , how  _pathetic_  he was, how disgusting stupid he was and how truly fucked up everything was because of  _him._

Mikado dug the palm of hands into his eyes as his laughter settled down, his breathing was shaky at best and his chest was tight with pain. The teen coughed, his laughter melting down into a fit of pained coughing.

 _Aah…I should probably go to a doctor huh?_ He thought bitterly holding the right side of his rib cage.  _Izaya said to go see Kishitani-sensei if I was ever injured so I guess I'll go there._

Mikado hobbled off having no idea that entire show was witnessed by none other than his very conflicted former best friend Kida Masaomi who was crying while watching his estranged friend have an emotional breakdown.

* * *

 

Mikado rang the doorbell of a familiar place and a male voice called out. "Let yourself in!" the teen pushed open the door of Celty's apartment and stepped inside. He carefully took off his shoes and placed them neatly in the entrance noticing that there were a pair of leather dress shoes there too which made him blink.

 _Do those belong to who I think they do?_ He thought uncertainly before making his way to the main area where he could hear people talking. "Hello?" he called out stepping into the light of the room. He spotted Shizuo on the sofa-  _so they were his shoes, how unfortunate._ The teen thought, keeping his face neutral.

"Oh, Ryugamine-kun!" Kishitani Shinra greeted with a bright smile. "Take a seat, I'll be done with Shizuo-kun soon." The man's latex gloves were all bloody as he tended to the blond man's back with a needle in one hand obvious stitching up something.

Mikado sat down on one of the armchairs quietly averting his eyes away from the scene before him.

"There we go. Now, you'll have to clean the stitches after twenty-four hours– but then again knowing you, you'll probably be healed by then," Shinra said cheerfully, pulling his gloves off.

"Yeah, thanks," Shizuo replied gruffly, turning around and putting his blood-soaked shirt back on. He clicked his tongue. "Tsk, another uniform ruined."

 _Is he seriously worried about his clothes?_ The teen eyed all the bloodied equipment and gauze littering the coffee table which was covered by a towel.

"Alright, Ryugamine-kun." Shinra turned to the teen pulling a new pair of gloves. "I'm going to have to ask you to take off your jacket and shirt." The boyish man told him with a smile. Mikado blinked and then eyed Shizuo nervously.

_I don't really want to be half naked in front of him, plus I have a knife under my clothes. I don't know if that will set him off, he's a loose cannon like that…well at least that's what Izaya says…I don't really have a choice, I know there's something wrong with my ribs, breathing hurts…_

Mikado stood with a grimace and unzipped his jacket, shrugging it off before pulling his shirt above his head. "Ugh." The teen winced at the movement, sweat breaking out on his forehead from the sharp, stabbing pain in his ribs. He undid the straps of his knife and threw in on the armchair with his clothes, he could feel eyes on him which didn't belong to Shinra because the underground doctor was humming merrily as he sorted out his equipment.

Shinra looked up and his brown eyes widened. The teen was seriously injured, dark purple and red bruises covered every inch of him. There were cuts and grazes that were crusted with dried blood. His face looked terrible, he had a black eye, his lip was split and his face was swollen and littered in cuts

"My." Shinra pushed up his glasses with a nervous expression. "I hope whoever did this is prepared to face his wrath. There's no way he'll let them go easy once he sees this." the underground doctor shuddered at the thought before he started to clean one of the many cuts on the teen's skin, placing wound closure strips on those who were too deep to be left alone but not drastic enough for stitches.

Mikado tilted his head.  _Who is he talking about?_ He wondered with a frown before clicked.  _Oh. OH. He's talking about Izaya! …but how does he know? Did Izaya tell him about us? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, he is the only person Izaya really considers to be a friend..._ Mikado thought, glancing at Shizuo who was staring at him intently.

 _Why is he staring at me?_ The teen felt the self-conscious urge to cover himself up but resisted.

"I'm going to check your ribs, this may hurt," Shinra told him, his voice as chirpy as ever. Mikado nodded and tried to mentally prepare himself. He gritted teeth as Shinra poked around.

"Hmm. I would say you have some cracks but they aren't completely broken." Shinra said after a moment. "I'll wrap them up for you but you'll have to take it easy for a few weeks or they may actually break."

Mikado nodded obediently and moved his arms so Shinra could wrap his chest in bandages. It took quite a while before the teen was completely tended too, he looked like a mummy with the number of bandages covering his body, his hands were wrapped up considerably too, his knuckles were really bad, they were bruised, raw and chunks of the flesh had been ripped out.

"Alright. I'm sure there are more injuries under your pants but I don't want to die and the thought of seeing anyone else in their underwear but my darling Celty is revolting." Shinra said with a bright smile.

"That's alright. I would have refused anyway." Mikado smiled, pulling his shirt back over his head. The doctor had given him some medication for pain some time ago so the teen wasn't in nearly in as much pain as he was before.

"Though, I'm surprised you were able to walk around with injuries like this," Shinra commented as he gathered some supplies for the teen to take home so he could tend of his own legs and such. "I'm sure a lot of people would have passed out."

Mikado chuckled slightly. "Ah, well, I guess I'm sturdier than I thought." Mikado slid his knife into the pocket of his jeans, not wanting to aggravate the injuries on his arm any longer.

"Oh dear, isn't it his birthday tomorrow?" Shinra remembered suddenly and Mikado nodded. It was terrifying talking about Izaya right in front of Shizuo but it seemed the blond didn't know who they were talking about which was good.

"Yeah. I have some errands to run." Mikado said with a smile taking the bag of supplies that Shinra had made for him. Though his errands weren't quite the ones he originally planned, he did have unfinished business to attend too. He'd decided what he was going to do before he'd even come to see the underground doctor.

"Say, could I bother you for a pen and some paper?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Boku is a humble and polite way for a male to address themselves as in "I", "Me" or "My".


	25. There's No Going Back Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having made his choice, Mikado takes care of some unfinished business.

Mikado twirled the pen around in his fingers as he waited in the abandoned warehouse, night had since fallen but luckily, the electricity in the old building was somehow still working, the dim overhead lights flickered and buzzed but worked.

_There's no going back after this, if I agree to work with Aoba-kun and act as the leader of the Blue Squares I'll gain the power I need but at what cost? I still don't know what he truly wants but from what I am guessing from their gang's previous actions, they'll try and overthrow me and take the Dollars as their own. Seems all they know how to do is invade other gangs since the war with the Yellow Scarves._

_I can only hope to keep them in line. Aoba-kun seems like the one in charge so if I can control him, I should be able to do whatever I want with them._

Mikado thought as he sat on the empty oil drum.  _This method is risky, they could try against me and there's nothing I can do in my state I'm completely defenseless, knife or no knife I can't go up against such a large group._

_But then again, it's past curfew for high schoolers so maybe a few went home, surely some of them have parents that actually care about them. Well, it doesn't really matter. If I've read Aoba-kun right then this should work just fine._

From outside the warehouse, he heard footsteps and voices which made Mikado carefully get down from the oil drum he was sitting on to lean on it instead. He smoothed out his facial features, knowing that he had a rather bitter and angry expression on his face. He relaxed his face, putting on the same mask he always wore at school.

Kind, gentle but naive model student, Ryugamine Mikado.

The Blue Squares looked wary as they entered the warehouse, their numbers had dropped dramatically so there were only about twenty of them including Aoba. Mikado tapped his pen against the drum every now and then before beginning to twirl it again, his fingers still nimble despite his bandaged hands and knuckles.

Aoba came to a stop before Mikado, about a meter or so away while the Blue Square members surrounded them in the exact same way they had that morning.

"Whoa, you don't look so good Mikado-senpai! Are you alright? Why did you call me here for? You should be resting at home!" Aoba asked his voice filled with concern which Mikado knew was fake. His voice grated the older teen's ears. Mikado kept his face passive and soft but his muscles tightened in disgust and anger to the baby-faced boy's presence before him.

"Ah, I'm fine. I'm sorry for calling you all out so late at night." Mikado apologised with a sheepish smile. "Especially since today was so hectic."

"Don't mind that, it was my bad to drag Senpai here at an inappropriate time in the first place." Aoba gave an innocent smile which Mikado returned. The entire scene was unnatural, they were both smiling but their thoughts and intentions were dark and cunning.

_He didn't react…on the outside anyway. All well, two can play at this game after all. He wanted to play it this way, I'm just giving him a taste of his own medicine._

"So, what did you want to talk about Senpai?" Aoba asked, his voice calm that fake smile still pasted of his face. Mikado made a show of looking sad as he continued,

"Yeah...I um, thought about things in my own way..." the teen said quietly, tapping his pen on the steel drum to no particular beat. "You were right. The direction Dollars is heading right now is just...wrong. It's definitely not the Dollars I was hoping for. Though there are still idealists among us like Kadota-san and his gang...the overwhelming majority of the people simply aren't like that." Mikado said regretfully, they were his honest feelings, he was just playing up his emotions to trick the younger male.

"My thoughts exactly!" Aoba enthusiastically nodded with a bright smile.

_He's falling for it…I thought he'd be harder to trick but then again, he's only seen me at school and I'm always putting on a mask in school even if it's just half of one._

"But it's not like the Dollars had any rules to begin with, and making any rules now would just make the Dollars not the Dollars anymore. ...In a world without rules...the only thing you can rely on to have your dreams realised is power." Mikado nodded as he spoke, remembering that Izaya had told him something similar the night before.

Mikado tapped the drum again, listening to the sound as it rang through the quiet warehouse. "Heiwajima-san quit the Dollars today…" he murmured sadly, his eyes downcast.

"Oh...did he really?" Aoba asked sounding generally surprised.

 _Yes, all thanks to you. You piece of shit._ Mikado nodded silently, playing with the pen in his hands, looking at the ground before back up to face Aoba.

"So…I think I'll accept your offer…if you guys are willing to lend me your power and in exchange use me for your own gain…then it's a deal I can accept." Mikado said quietly looking deep into Aoba's big hazel eyes.

"Really!?" Aoba's face lit up with an excited smile, his eyes sparkling like that of a child on Christmas morning. Mikado suppressed the bitter chuckle in his heart as he faced the smaller teen with a harmless smile.

 _You wanted to play with fire kid, so prepared to get burnt._ He thought bitterly.

"So would you mind coming over here for a moment? I'd like you to sign an agreement." Mikado asked with an innocent smile, gesturing to the piece of paper on top of the drum he'd been tapping his pen on.

"An agreement?" Aoba repeated, curiously tilting his head. Mikado smiled sweetly,

"Yes. An agreement is necessary if we're going to make this deal fair, isn't it?" Mikado could but taste victory on his tongue, the younger boy was completely fooled. Mikado could feel the darkness that had made itself a home in his chest sing happily as Aoba approached the paper.

"So what would you like me to write?" Aoba asked curiously as he came closer.

"Oh, I've already drawn it up." Mikado smiled happily, pointing to the piece of paper.

Mikado watched carefully, twirling the pen into his hand as Aoba went to grab the paper, waiting for the right moment like a predator stalking its prey. His expression morphed and twisted as he made his move-

"Argh!" Aoba cried in pain, his eyes going wide with shock. Mikado grinned, his pupils blown wide as he looked at the pen now embedded in the younger boy's hand, his blood spilled out over the paper, dying it red.

 _Yes, finally! Man, that felt so good!_ Mikado grinned, his face twisted in sadistic pleasure, he met eyes with Aoba who looked at him in shock and horror. The teen could help but feel as if that expression suited him rather well.

"W-what the fuck!?"

"Aoba-kun!" the Blue Squares realised what had happened, becoming panicked. Mikado watched the young boy waved with his injured hand for him to back off.

"M-Mikado-senpai…what is this?" Aoba gasped. Mikado could see him desperately trying to mask the pain in his voice and expression but he wasn't succeeding.

"You know, with everything you did. You caused me a lot of trouble and put a lot of innocent people in serious danger." Mikado said, his voice low and cold as ice. "So I thought I should get a little revenge." His smile was more demonic than human, so twisted it put Izaya to shame.

"You wanted to play with me so, let's play Ao~ba~kun~." Mikado grinned drawing out the characters of the teen's name while twisting the pen in Aoba's hand. The sight of the younger male's eyes going wide in fear and pain was so satisfying.

Mikado leaned down so he was face to face with Aoba with barely any room between them. "Here's my first order…stomach the full wrath of my anger." His voice was low and threatening as he pulled the pen out. His voice was enough to send a cold shiver through Aoba who trembled slightly under Mikado's intense eyes before he composed himself.

"Ah…you're so cool Senpai." The baby-faced boy shuddered a delighted smile on his face that disgusted the older teenager. Mikado stepped back throwing the bloody pen back on the drum, it landed in the puddle of blood on the once white piece of paper.

"If you don't want to comply, just stab my hand or throat in return with that ballpoint pen or report me to the school, or the police," Mikado suggested before his voice softened, taking on a note of sadness that was entirely fake. "It would be only fair after what I just did."

He felt no remorse for what he'd done, in fact, he almost felt like it wasn't enough punishment for what Aoba had done. The younger teenager deserved a lot more but Mikado had a use for him so he needed him to be fully functional.

"...No, it's alright. This will serve just fine as...our agreement, written in my blood." Aboa picked up the sheet of paper with a smile, there was a glazed over look in his eyes that was making Mikado uncomfortable because he knew that look, thoroughly creeped out the teen wondered why the hell Aoba was looking at him with such blatant desire.

Mikado watched as Aoba raised the paper with a triumph smile. "From now on, Mikado-senpai...will be our leader!" he announced to the rest to the Blue Squares before turning back to Mikado. "...Senpai, feel free to use us Blue Square as part of your Dollars for whatever you please." He smiled happily before he froze at the older teen's expression.

Mikado smiled happily. "That's great! I'm so glad you agreed to that! I'm so, so sorry about your hand. Ah, I actually brought disinfectant and bandages. I'll apply those for you, so here—just elevate your hand above your heart!" the teen's voice was just like it usually was. There was no hint of the cold, ruthless Mikado he'd been seconds before – on the outside that is.

His sudden change of behaviour unsettled the Blue Squares as they shifted uncomfortably looking almost fearful as Mikado ignored them and took out the first aid supplies out of the bag Shinra had given him.

"Shall we sit down somewhere?" Mikado suggested gently.

In a quiet corner of the warehouse, Mikado carefully cleaned Aoba's wound with a concerned expression. He looked at the baby-faced teen but Aoba's expression was more disturbing than Mikado could have imagined.

His cheeks were flushed, his eyes were misty and his lips were parted slightly as he trembled, squirming and shifting around.  _What the actual hell is going on? Why is he aroused!?_ Mikado thought disgusted but he kept his face neutral and pretended not to notice as he wrapped up the boy's hand expertly with a bandage, already knowing how to do so by heart because of boxing.

"There you go. All done." Mikado said with a smile and Aoba nodded, rubbing his legs together. The rest of the Blue Squares were lingering around the warehouse, watching them while murmuring amongst themselves.

Mikado packed away the other medical supplies and prepared to leave, wanting to get away from Aoba already, he wanted to go home and rest. He stood up and went to walk off when something grabbed his pant leg.

Mikado looked at Aoba who gazed back and licked his lips. "Senpai…" his voice was almost begging. The teen felt his stomach churn and he resisted the urge to slap Aoba's hand away.  _How disgusting._

"Yes, Kuronuma-kun?" Mikado asked politely, pretending to be clueless to the boy's obvious state of arousal. Aoba looked up at him with big misty eyes and Mikado wondered how many people had fallen prey to the boy before him.

 _So he's a slut on top of being a bastard? What a nice mixture._ Mikado thought sarcastically.  _Now that I think about it, when he was being all touchy feeling this morning…the Blue Squares didn't even react; like it was completely normal. Ah, is that why people follow him? Obey him and he'll let you fuck him?_

_Revolting._

_Then again, he does look like a girl, I guess a lot of guys would be into it. I, however, have no interest in children or women so his bullshit doesn't work on me._

"Aah, Senpai…I want you to use me…" Aoba breathed, his eyes lashes fluttering, looking at him wantonly. Mikado softened his expression and leaned down, the younger teen's eyes lit up and he lifted his head for a kiss but Mikado leaned into his ear.

"If you want to stick your dick in something so badly then why don't you fuck that hole I put in your hand? It's probably the right size, ne?" Mikado snickered coldly before pulling back from the younger teen, relishing in his shocked expression.

"No...I want yours…" Aoba tried once more, begging the man but Mikado only shook his head with wide, innocent eyes.

"Oh sorry, but I'd rather stick my dick in a coffee grinder." He grinned, looking down on at teen in twisted amusement. "Plus, you're not my type, I'm not into kids. My taste is a lot more…mature." His eyes becoming slits as he snickered at the teen before him before he calmed down within another second and his expression reverted into his usual kind, innocent mask.

"I'm sorry but I have to go, I still have real errands to run." Mikado said calmly, "See you Kuronuma-kun, I'll talk to you soon." He casually smiled and waved before turning and walking off leaving a needy and begging Aoba on the ground, ignoring him when called out for him to come back.

_There's definitely no going back now. Not with anything I've done._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any mistakes, I'm really tired.  
> Next weeks upload maybe be late as I'm going in for surgery - wish me luck!


	26. Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where is Izaya?

Mikado was utterly exhausted when he got home, he knew that he probably shouldn't stay at his apartment anymore now that Aoba knew where he lived but the teen was just too tired to care.

He entered the apartment, he'd managed to go to the grocery store and pick up Izaya's cake despite everything. He set the bags down on the kitchen counter and pulled out his phone.

 _This is strange, Izaya would have usually rung me by now._ The teen thought, looking up at the time and then back at his phone. It was pretty late at night and while Izaya hadn't said he'd be able to come home tonight, Mikado assumed he would seeming it was his birthday tomorrow.

The teen hesitated slightly before calling Izaya.  _I'm positive he had something to do with what happened to today but I'm not going to ignore him. I'll just call him and see what he's doing._ He decided pressing call on the informant's number.

 _He probably just got caught up in work again._ Mikado thought, his gut churned and for one reason or another, he knew that something was seriously wrong. He listened to the phone before it rang out and went to voice mail.

 _Okay, nothing to worry about. I'm sure he's just busy._ Mikado told himself but as he rang again and again but his lover didn't pick up which was something that hadn't happened in the entire year they'd been dating and the teen knew something was seriously wrong.

Worry ate at him as he restlessly paced around the apartment trying to ring his lover again and again to no avail. All of his exhaustion disappeared, quickly replaced with worry and unease.

_No, where is he? Why isn't he answering!?_

"Calm down." Mikado shook his head and commanded himself. "Maybe something happened to his phone." He said with a forced chuckle.

 _If I go to sleep, he'll be here when I wake up and then we'll celebrate his birthday – just me and him._ Mikado convinced himself and set off to go to bed.

But of course, it could never be something so simple.

Mikado was woken up out of his uneasy and restless half-sleep by his phone ringing. The teen bolted up in bed before doubling over in pain with a loud groan.

 _Ow! Ow! Ow! Damn, the painkillers must have worn off…what time is it?_ The teen thought, squinting at the alarm clock to see it was twelve o'clock.  _Ugh, what the hell? I've only been asleep for fifteen minutes!_ He grabbed the phone and answered it, not even looking at the contact.

"Hello?" he asked sounding every bit sleepy as he felt.

"Oh Hello. Is this Ryugamine Mikado-san?" a woman's voice asked, bright and clear.

"Yes. Who's this?" the teen rubbed his eyes and tried to force himself to wake up.

"My name is Hasane Sara, I'm a nurse at Tsuragaya Hospital. I have a patient here named Orihara Izaya-san who says you are his emergency contact?"

"Oh no." Mikado felt the blood drain from his face. "I am…is he okay? What happened?" he asked suddenly wide awake, fear pulsing through his body.

"Orihara-san was attacked with a knife in the street yesterday evening. He is in a stable condition and is doing well."

"Oh god, so he's okay?" Mikado climbed out of bed, ignoring the pain of his body to go into the lounge room to find his laptop. Opening it up, he searched for the hospital the nurse had mention finding out it was in Gunma-ken – almost three hours away from Ikebukuro.

The next train was in an hour.

"Yes, he is okay." The nurse replied. "But he will have to stay here for a few days."

"I see. Well, I live in Ikebukuro so it will take me a few hours to get there but can you tell him I'm on my way?" the teen said standing up.

"Of course. If you can bring some of Orihara-san's belongings such as a change of clothes that would be most appreciated. I would like to apologise that we are contacting you so late, you aren't listed as his emergency contact. We were only able to call you once Orihara-san gave us your details." The nurse sounded truly apologetic and Mikado shook his head.

"It's okay, I understand." He said with a strained smile, his heart beating too loudly in his chest. "Please contact me if there is any change in his condition."

"Of course. Thank you Ryugamine-san." The nurse said and Mikado replied.

"I should be the one thanking you."

An eerie calm came over Mikado, his mind was in utter chaos and his heart hurt but he moved like a robot, efficient and fast. It didn't take long for him to get dressed, pack a bag of Izaya's clothing and medical supplies, down some painkillers and head off to the train station.

The midnight air was freezing as Mikado hurried through the streets of Ikebukuro which was alive with nightlife. He'd put on an overcoat knowing it would be cold but even that didn't do much to shield his sore body from the cold air. His staggering breaths became white clouds and his nose was red and numb by the time he reached the station. He quickly descended the stairs and brought a ticket for the bullet train.

As he sat down on the rather empty train things seemed to finally catch up with him.

_Izaya...god, he was stabbed! How did this happen? He's Orihara Izaya…he's so strong, I always thought he'd be perfectly fine no matter what happened! I can't believe I was sleeping while Izaya is in the hospital!_

_The nurse said he is okay but how am I supposed to believe that? I won't be able to calm down unless I see him myself. That idiot, what was he doing?_ Mikado buried his face in his hand, his eyes burning with tears.

Halfway through the journey Mikado forced himself out of his seat and to the bathroom. Redressing his wounds in a train bathroom probably wouldn't be the most hygienic thing but once he reached Izaya, he didn't want have to worry about something so trivial.

He carefully removed his jacket and shirt, placing them on the closed toilet seat. Surprisingly the toilet was rather clean to his relief. The teen removed his already soiled bandages around his knuckles, carefully peeling away the gauze which tore off a bit of the dried blood.

"Tsk." Mikado winced as he rinsed his hands under the tap before smearing them with the antiseptic cream Shinra had given him, redressing them with a relieved sigh. Most of his injuries just needed a bit of antiseptic and the ones covered with would closure strips were meant to be left alone until they fell off themselves.

The teen pulled on his shirt and coat before sitting down on the toilet and pulling off his jeans to repeat the entire process on his legs which were covered in cuts and grazes. Once he was done, he put all his old bloody bandages and gauze in the sanitary bin before carefully washing his hands of any left traces of blood before packing everything back in his bag and returning to his seat.

His stomach grumbled as he looked out the window and he realised that he hadn't eaten anything yesterday, the last meal he'd had was dinner two days ago. The teen leaned back in his seat and set his alarm for an hour before closing his eyes in an attempt to get some rest.

The train conductor's announcement made the teen open his eyes, he'd never actually been able to get asleep. He'd turned off his alarm when it went off deeming it useless.

"Sakimachi station. We are now arriving at Sakimachi station. Please ensure that you have all your belongings before exiting the train." A male voice told him over the loudspeaker. The teen stood up and grabbed his bag, making sure he had everything before leaving the train and stepping out onto the cold train platform, into the early morning darkness.

Mikado's heart beat quickly in his chest, making it harder to breathe as he walked to the hospital where Izaya was. He was nervous, scared. He knew that the nurse had said that Izaya was fine but nonetheless, Mikado was scared. He loved Izaya so much, just the thought of something happening to him made his stomach churn.

Mikado had always thought Izaya was invincible, the man's abilities were beyond that of a normal human, no one could fly through the skies like Izaya could or use a knife so skilfully – no one was as extraordinary as Izaya and yet, someone had hurt him badly enough to send him to hospital.

Mikado looked up at the hospital before him, it was three in the morning now so the streets were all but deserted but the hospital was busy. The teen walked through the front door, he'd forgotten to ask what floor and section Izaya was in. He walked up to the main desk and asked the lady who looked at him rather suspiciously.

"He's in the general ward on floor eight. There are some police officers in the reception area that might want to see you before you go in." the nurse said and Mikado nodded, thanking her with a polite bow.

 _Police officers huh? I guess that's only normal considering it was an attack. But what do I say if they ask me who might want to hurt Izaya? I mean, half of Tokyo hates his guts!_ He thought, getting on the elevator and pressing the button for the eighth floor.

_But if I know Izaya then he wouldn't have told the police anything. So I'll just say I don't know, that seems like the safest option. They'll probably ask me about my injuries too – I'll just tell them the truth, I got beaten up by some street thugs._

The elevator chimed as it reached the eighth floor and Mikado stepped out into the brightly lit waiting room. The nurse at the front desk hadn't told him the room number because she'd been so suspicious.

 _I'll have to ask someone else…_ he approached the nursing station, a young nurse in her twenties stopped when she noticed him. "Excuse me, can I help you?" she asked and Mikado nodded.

"Uh, I'm here to see Orihara Izaya." He explained, his grip on his duffle bag tightening.

"Oh! Are you Ryugamine Mikado?" the nurse asked with and smile and the teen nodded once again. "Excellent, I'm Hasane Sara, the one who spoke to you on the phone."

Mikado's eyes widened and bowed deeply. "Thank you so much. I was so worried about him when he didn't answer my calls!" the teen exclaimed, his voice breaking slightly as tears burned his eyes. If she hadn't called him then god knows when Mikado would have found out what happened.

"That's perfectly fine. Follow me, I'll lead you to him. I'm just glad we were able to ask Orihara-san if he wanted us to call anyone else. We tried calling his parents but they're in America, his sisters answered but they were…" the nurse struggled to find the words as she pushed open and door and led Mikado down the corridor. "…unfriendly?" she finished uncertainly.

"Ah…yeah, he doesn't have a great relationship with his immediate family," Mikado explained quietly as the nurse stopped outside of a closed door. Mikado could read the nameplate and he knew that Izaya had inside.

"Oh, I see. Orihara-san was asleep when I last checked up on him." The nurse explained quietly opening the door to the room. "My shift is ending in five minutes but there will be another nurse coming to check on him. If Orihara-san seems in need of help, he has a control with some buttons. The yellow one is for assistance and the red for emergencies." The nurse explained and Mikado nodded and bowed once more.

"Thank you so much," he said stepping into the room. It was a small room made for a single person, dim lights from outside shone through the windows on the far wall and in the middle of the room was a hospital bed with Izaya inside.

Mikado approached the bed slowly, dropping his bag on the ground as he came to a stop at the side of Izaya's bed.

And then he burst into tears.

"Izaya…" he sobbed and carefully took the man's hand in his as he sat down next to him. The man looked deathly pale, almost blending in with the white sheets he was laying on, his eyes were closed but there were dark circles right around them. He looked so fragile and Mikado never,  _ever_ seen him like that.

He didn't even think it was possible. In his mind, Izaya was some unbeatable, untouchable, invincible force…but now as he laid there before Mikado in a hospital bed looking closer to death than the teen thought imaginable – he realised something.

Izaya was just like him, in the end, the man he loved more than anything….

…was merely human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! My surgery went well and it was a success! (yay)   
> Thank you, everyone who wished me well! I'm steadily recovering :)


	27. Hostile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even in the hospital, there isn't peace.

Mikado's eyes fluttered open, he felt a horrible stiffness in his entire body along with a bit of pain. Gentle hands combed through his hair, patting him as if he were a cat. It took a moment for Mikado's sleep-hazed mind to remember where he was and why.

The teen slowly sat up, sharp pain his ribs reminding him of his injuries. The hand patting his hair stopped as he sat up fully and the teen met eyes with Izaya who smiled at him.

"Izaya…" Mikado breathed in relief. The man's eyes were red and puffy, his skin pale and his lips were split from being bitten. It took everything in the teen's power not to start crying again because he knew, from that face, that Izaya had been crying whilst he was asleep and it broke his heart.

"Good morning dear." The man's voice was uncharacteristically quiet and reserved. "Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that." Mikado huffed shaking his head with a small smile as he took Izaya's hand in his once more, obviously having let go in his sleep or when Izaya sat up.

"I'm alright. It's not as bad as you probably think it is." Izaya ran his thumb over the back of Mikado's hand. There were so many emotions swirling in Mikado's chest- he was scared, concerned, sad, and thankful to see Izaya before him.

He couldn't find the words he wanted to say, he just stared at Izaya before him.  _I could have lost him forever…just like that…_ the teen thought miserably but forced a soft smile on his face for the man before him.

"I'm glad. I was so worried." The teen voice broke as he spoke betraying his desire to force himself to act alright for Izaya's sake. Tears burned his eyes and he averted his gaze trying to hide his emotions before shaking his head. "You idiot…" he hiccupped, "Why do you always have to get yourself in trouble all the time?" tears trickled down his face.

"Oh, baby." Izaya leaned forward and cupped his face, making the teen look at him. "I'm sorry." He said sincerely, "Don't cry, I'm alright. I'm just glad you're here. I was so scared that I wouldn't be able to see you again but I'm lucky, it missed all my organs." Izaya facial expression seemed to crumble before the teen who stood up from the chair and carefully hugged his lover.

Izaya hugged him back tightly, burying his face in his shoulder. The informant's shoulders shook and Mikado held him tight but carefully enough not to hurt his lover. He'd never seen Izaya so vulnerable since they'd met.

"It's alright." Mikado shushed the man, patting his head to calm him down.  _He's just as shocked as I am…he thought he was invincible just like I did…he's realised he is just normal human. He's scared._ The teen realised, his heart clenching painfully.

"Mikado…someone is bound to come here, the nurses told me they reported my stabbing on TV." Izaya's voice was quiet and worried. Mikado pulled back just a bit and looked at Izaya, the man looked tired and his red eyes almost looked afraid.

"Who's coming?" Mikado's asked his brow furrowing in concern. Izaya shook his head,

"It could be anyone." he murmured his red eyes almost glowing in the faint light provided by the windows. Mikado noticed that the room was still dark which meant he hadn't been asleep that long and the hospital was still all but deserted at this time.

Mikado knew it could be anyone, it could be Heiwajima Shizuo, the Awakusu, the person who attacked him – all of them had a reason to try and kill his lover.  _No! I won't let that happen! I can't let that happen, if Izaya were to die...then I…I don't think I could handle that…I won't let that happen. I can't expect Izaya to always protect me, a relationship is not one sided, I will protect him too._

"It's alright," Mikado promised him fiercely. "I won't let anyone hurt you." He held Izaya's hand within his hands, "I almost lost you once Izaya, I won't make the same mistake again." He spoke from the heart, his determination strong and unwavering.

Izaya blinked before he smiled happily. "You've changed my dear." He whispered, his voice filled with affection. "And I like it." His voice was low and almost suggestive. Mikado stared at the man before him but he didn't deny it, it was true. He had changed, the events of the day before let him embrace the darkness inside of himself, become one with it instead of keeping it contained.

"Ah, they're coming," Izaya whispered and Mikado listened carefully, footsteps were approaching the room, too quiet and careful to belong to a nurse. The teen let go of the man who laid down with a smirk on his lips.

Mikado retreated to the corner of the room, the one behind the curtain by the door as the footsteps drew closer and closer. His heart thundered nervously in his chest, he didn't know what to expect, he was unarmed and injured but nonetheless, he would try his best to protect his vulnerable lover.

The door to Izaya's room slowly opened and Mikado squeezed himself against the wall, his dark clothes making him blend perfectly into the darkness as the person slid into the room. The person was not who Mikado was expecting, it was a girl probably not much older than himself.

"I've finally…found you…" the girl's voice was full of hatred and obvious delight in finding Izaya.

She walked straight past the teenager and towards Izaya who blinked at the girl blankly with a confused expression. Mikado quietly slipped from the corner so he was behind the girl, ready to see what she would do.

"Umm." Izaya tilted his head almost innocently. "Who are you?" he asked, his brow furrowed and Mikado's eyes widened.

_Is she not the person he'd been expecting? No matter, there's a boatload of people that would love to see Izaya hurt so I can't let my guard down. I can't let anything else happen to Izaya._

The girl seemed outraged at Izaya's lack of recognition. "I guess you wouldn't remember, I'm one of the many girls you played your ridiculous suicide game with."

_Suicide games!? What is that-_

She moved quickly, pulling a knife out of her jacket as soon as Mikado saw the glint of a blade he made his move - he delivered a swift kick to the back of her knees making her fall forward with a cry of pain. He twisted her hand making her drop the knife which he quickly picked up, he put his foot on her stomach to keep her on the ground.

Izaya whistled at the display and Mikado looked up at him. "That was hot," Izaya smirked and Mikado blushed.

"S-shut up." The teen stuttered embarrassed, "This is no time to be flirting." He shook his head trying to get serious once more as Izaya grinned at him.

"So, you don't know who she is?" he questioned pointing at the girl on the ground who was holding her knee and glaring up at him.

"Hmm." Izaya tilted his head, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Oh!" he remembered with a big smile. "I remember now, Mamiya Manami-chan!" the man carefully removed his IV from his arm and climbed out of the hospital which made Mikado frown in concern.

"Izaya…I don't think you should be getting up." Mikado protested but Izaya waved off his concern with a smile.

"It's worry babe, it doesn't even hurt that much." Izaya walked towards the girl on the ground. Mikado's frown deepened. It was obvious the older man was lying, he could see the strain in his eyes, the slight grimace in his smirk.

"Yes, I remember you now. Mamiya Manami-chan, the girl who wanted to die because her boyfriend left her for another girl. I met you the same day I met Mikado in person…you'll have to forgive me as everything else was overshadowed by that…" Izaya murmured with a smile, looking down at the girl who glared up at him fiercely.

 _What an unfortunate name…and what a stupid reason to want to die._ Mikado thought looking down at the girl before him.

"All this time you've been holding a grudge? I didn't even do that much to you." Izaya said amused. "You know, I like to try and rekindle people's will to live but this…" Izaya laughed slightly. "It's is just too good!" his laugh became louder and Mikado shifted uncomfortably knowing the man was about to have a maniacal episode.

Mikado could admit that that side of Izaya frightened him slightly, it was like he became completely unhinged and he could see why people called his lover unstable. Though Mikado guessed he couldn't talk, it wasn't like he wasn't immune to outbursts as of late.

He tuned out as Izaya rambled loudly at the girl he was stepping on, his laughter ringing loudly through the room.  _A nurse is going to come if he keeps this up…_ Mikado thought worriedly, he looked at Manami on the floor before him and couldn't help but feel pity for her.

 _How low do you have to be to make hating Orihara Izaya your reason to live? To make revenge your ultimate goal?_ He thought sadly.  _What did Izaya do to her? He said she was suicidal and he rekindled her will to live which I guess it's true because she's still here…_ The teen refocused on his lover who was still laughing but slowly coming to a stop.

"Say Mamiya-chan, do you have a job? Are you working right now?" Izaya asked the girl on the ground with a smile. Mikado looked down at Manami who only glared at Izaya. "I'll take that as a no. If you'd like, could you help me with my work? Namie-san alone cannot run all of my errands, there's going to be a lot when I get back." The man grinned.

Mikado stared at Izaya in his disbelief.  _He's asking her to work with him!? She just tried to kill him!_

"That way, you might just be able to kill me," Izaya smirked his eyes flashing in the dim light of the room. Mikado felt his breath catch in his throat, he didn't understand why Izaya would say such a thing. They met eyes and Izaya winked at him.

 _Ah…_ Mikado realised,  _He's manipulating her…she'll obey him if she thinks staying close to him will fulfill her wishes. I feel like that's incredibly dangerous but also incredibly smart…_

Manami agreed and Mikado helped her up. "Are you alright? I'm sorry for attacking you." He said with a gentle smile. "But I couldn't let you attack Izaya while he's injured." He explained using the same persona he used at school.

"What about when he's not injured?" Manami asked, snatching her hand away from him. Mikado smiled,

"Well, you can try." He shrugged with a smile knowing that she would never be able to lay a hand on Izaya when he was healed, especially if he knew she was out for blood. Manami turned and stomped out of the room as Izaya told her he'd be in contact.

"Eh? You're so cruel." Izaya whined once she was gone and Mikado walked up to him, hugging him carefully.

"Oh, Mikado…" Izaya's voice softened. "It's alright, she can't hurt me." Mikado looked up at Izaya's face, studying it.

"I just don't want anything else to happen to you." He murmured tenderly, burying his face in Izaya's chest, inhaling the familiar scent which was mostly overpowered by the clean, hospital smell on everything around them.

"You should get back to bed." He said gently after a long moment but the man shook his head.

"We should leave. We're lucky it was only Mamiya-chan and not someone stronger. Plus, the detectives who are questioning me found my knife in my jacket." The man gestured to his blood-stained parka hanging on the wardrobe. "They're suspicious and not buying my story of it being a random attack."

"I-Izaya, I don't think you're fit enough to go anywhere. You should still be on the morphine drip." Mikado protested shaking his head. He could understand where Izaya was coming from but he hadn't even spent a full night in the hospital and he wanted to run away.

"It's alright. I'll get medication from Shinra-kun. We'll go to one of my safe houses and we'll hide okay?" Izaya smiled trying to convince Mikado who was uncertain. "Come on baby, it's my birthday." The teen frowned and averted his eyes.

"Alright…but you have to take some time off to heal alright?" Mikado looked him sternly in the eye and Izaya smiled.

"Of course baby." He said but Mikado knew it was a lie. He knew as soon as they reached their destination – Izaya would launch into finding the person who attacked him but Mikado knew that it would be much safer hidden in a safe house than in a hospital that was broadcasted on TV before all the informant's enemies.

"Alright…let's get out of here then…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday :)


	28. This Isn't What I Meant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have you ever tried to sing Happy Birthday while groaning in pain and guzzling down painkillers?

Izaya's safe house turned out to be his apartment. Izaya explained that his apartment was a safe house, no one knew he lived there, the security was high and all the forms were under a fake name. When they arrived home, Izaya went straight to bed obviously tired and in pain, Mikado followed suit.

 _I could have lost him…_ the teen thought, looking at Izaya's sleeping face, his heart clenched painfully.  _What have I been doing? I've been hiding things from him…we're not as close as we used to be because of me…so what if his way of doing things isn't what I want, he's not me, he's Izaya. He was right, I've always known what kind of person he is but that didn't stop me from agreeing to be in a relationship with him._

_Everything he does…he has a reason behind. I could have lost him…and there would still have been this wedge between us. We're both the kind to keep things hidden but I…I don't want to be like this. If I reject his informant side then I am rejecting Izaya as a whole and have to right to say I love him. I can't just pick and choose what parts of him I want to love that's not fair…Izaya loves all of me…_

_He saw me take down that girl but he wasn't disgusted or shocked, he embraced it like he does every other part of me. But…if I had witnessed Izaya take down that girl…I think I would have been outraged…god, I'm such hypocrite._ Mikado carefully took Izaya's hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing his knuckles.

_I don't want to be like this, I know Izaya is my soul mate so I should accept all of him, not just the good parts. I'm sorry Izaya, I've been so cruel to you…when you wake up, we'll celebrate your birthday, it's not what we wanted but let's do it anyway because I'm so grateful you're here with me, I want to celebrate the fact you were born..._

_Yeah, …we'll do that and then we'll sit down…and really talk to one another, no more secrets, okay?_ Mikado's eyes started to drift shut, unable to stay awake any longer – he fell into a deep asleep, still tightly holding Izaya's hand.

Mikado was woken up by the sound of pained groaning. He frowned for a moment, wondering what could be making the noise before he realised.

 _Izaya!_ Mikado shot up causing him to let out a pained groan of his own, clutching his ribs. He looked around the room to see Izaya sitting on the ground between the bed and bathroom, his face was twisted in pain and his breathing was laboured.

"Izaya! Are you alright?" Mikado jumped out of bed and rushed to the man's side, completely forgetting his own pain.

"Hah…yeah…the morphine's just worn off. I wanted to go to the bathroom but it seems like I underestimated the amount of pain." Izaya's face looked sweaty and he was slightly pale. Mikado frowned,

"You should have woken me up." He brushed Izaya's fringe from his sweaty forehead. "I have some painkillers that Kishitani-sensei gave me when I went to him yesterday but I don't know if you can mix it with morphine." The teen frowned, he didn't know anything about medicine.

"Oh! We can call him." Mikado realised going to stand up to get his phone but Izaya grabbed his shirt.

"It's no use, I called him when you were asleep." The man shook his head with a deep frown on his face. "I asked him if he could give me some painkillers because I was stabbed but he didn't care, he's out spending the day with Celty."

The teen stared at the older man in disbelief for a moment before speaking. "Are you guys actually friends? Because he sounds like a really shitty friend." Mikado frowned and Izaya laughed, though it quickly dissolved into a groan of pain.

"Yeah, …he's a piss poor excuse for a friend…" Izaya sighed leaning on the teen. "I guess we'll have to google the medication he gave you." They did some research only to find out that the medication the underground doctor had given him was low-dosage morphine which led to them each swallowing one and sitting on the ground waiting for them to kick in.

"Y'know, this isn't what I meant when I said I wanted to spend my birthday with you." Izaya piped up, a smirk on his lips and Mikado laughed.

"No, I bet not…but we can still celebrate." Mikado said smiling as Izaya took his hand in his. Izaya chuckled slightly,

"True but I wanted to have sex." He confessed outright and Mikado laughed, a slight blush on his cheeks. "I was really looking forward to it, I wanted to use my golden ticket for a few things too." Mikado looked at the older man curiously,

"Well…once we heal, we can do that." Mikado murmured shyly and Izaya smirked at him.

"I can't wait." The man sighed. "I think I can get up now." The teen helped the man to his feet and when to prepare something for them to eat while Izaya used the bathroom.

Izaya's fridge was almost annoyingly empty, the man was awful for going grocery shopping. Mikado knew that Izaya was busy and often didn't have time to fix himself up something. The homemade meals that Mikado had made and frozen for the man were all gone so the teen knew the man craved home cooked food no matter how much he bragged about eating at fancy restaurants, he'd take Mikado's cooking over anything else and that made the teen happy.

Mikado decided to make some rice porridge and miso soup as they weren't in the best shape. Mikado had broken a few teeth in his fight which left his mouth incredibly sore. When Izaya re-emerged from the bathroom he was dressed in a loose fitting t-shirt and sweatpants, he looked a bit healthier.

"Here, sorry it's nothing flash." Mikado apologised with a smile. He had such good plans on what to make for Izaya's birthday, they were going to have all the informant's favourite home-cooked meals but now, they were having food commonly made for those with the flu.

"It's perfect, baby." Izaya smiled and pulled the teen down into a chaste kiss before they sat down and ate.

"So…are you going to tell me what happened to you yesterday?" Izaya asked casually and Mikado looked up at him and swallowed.

"Yes, though I'm sure you already have a faint idea." Mikado gave a small smile. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about this another time, it's your birthday."

"No, I want to know who dared lay their hands on you so I can find them and…" Izaya trailed off but the fire in his red eyes spoke levels of his thoughts.

"It was a bunch of lowlife thugs that are members of the Dollars, they went to kidnap a group of girls to threaten their lover and then rape them so I did my best to stop them. I managed to save a few of the girls but not all of them." Mikado said honestly, he had a nagging feeling that Izaya already knew everything.

"Is that so?" Izaya narrowed his eyes as he carefully chewed his food. "Can you give me names? Descriptions?"

"I can but I won't," Mikado said looking the man right in the eye. Izaya blinked and tilted his head. "You need to focus on getting better and fighting your own enemies, I can handle the pathetic punks using the Blue Scarves."

"Ah, Kuronuma Aoba." Izaya sighed shaking his head. "I don't like him." The teen looked at his lover in surprise.

"You've met him?"

"Of course, he came to my office demanding information on you and trying to challenge me. Seems he hates me with a fiery passion." Izaya looked amused. "He threw quite the hissy fit when I said I had no information on you besides the basics," Izaya smirked as he seemed to remember.

_Hm, so he even went to Izaya to try and get information about me, but if Izaya didn't tell him I was the founder of the Dollars who….no, it couldn't be…was it Yagiri Namie again? No, it's more likely that he found out from one of the Yellow scarves members from the warehouse incident last year._

The finished their lunch and Izaya yawned, looking tired once more. "You should go rest some more," Mikado suggested as he collected the dishes and took them to the sink to wash them.

"I don't want to! I want to spend my birthday with you." Izaya whined with a pout and the teen smiled affectionately.

"It's only early afternoon, I have to go back to the apartment in Ikebukuro to collect some things if we're going to be hiding out here for a few days," Mikado commented drying his hands on the towel. Izaya frowned and sighed,

"I guess you're right." He grumbling standing up and coming over to Mikado who smiled when Izaya embraced him. "I love you, Mikado, you know that right?" the older man whispered sounding almost fragile and Mikado blinked in surprise before smiling and hugging his lover back carefully.

"I know Izaya, I know it well. I love you too…all of you." Mikado murmured, they pulled apart very slightly searching each other's eyes and getting lost in the raw emotion there. Izaya leaned forward and closed the distance between their lips. Mikado tilted his head to eagerly meet the man's lips. They kissed softly, carefully so they wouldn't hurt Mikado's split lip, their kisses were tender and filled with such raw emotion it made Mikado tremble.

They held each other close, not wanting to let go for any reason, their emotions were just overflowing but there was no need for words, even as tears gathered in Mikado's eyes and Izaya started to shake, they held each other carefully with careful, comforting caresses.

Mikado smiled when Izaya kissed and wiped away his tears.  _We might not be the most perfect couple in the world…we definitely have some issues but there is one thing I am utterly certain of and that is the fact that we love each other._

"Izaya…do you believe in soulmates?" Mikado whispered quietly, he doubted Izaya would, the man wasn't much of a believer in anything. Izaya hummed, the teen could feel the vibrations against his chest.

"I thought soulmates was nonsense to be entirely honest, something made up by desperate humans to comfort themselves with, something to use as an excuse if a relationship failed but…I don't think that anymore, not since I met you." Mikado's heart skipped a beat as Izaya pulled back and lifted his chin so they could look into each other's eyes.

"Now, I'm sure that it's true. Soulmates exist and you are mine. I know we've only been together for a year which is considerably shorter than most relationships but….I'm convinced you are my soulmate and I'm not wrong about a lot of things." Izaya smirked before his expression softened once more.

Mikado smiled. "Yeah, I think our red strings are definitely connected to one another." He said softly. The pair met in a tender kiss once more before they pulled apart.

"Come on, let's get you to bed so you can rest up." Mikado smiled at the older male who chuckled.

"Are you going to nurse me back to health babe?" Izaya caressed the teen's face and he smiled.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Mikado didn't want to leave Izaya alone but he had to return to his apartment to get a few things. He had some clothes at Izaya's place but not enough to last him an extended amount of time. He knew he could always wear Izaya's clothes but the most reasonable thing to do to convince everyone nothing was wrong would be to continue his routine as nothing had changed.

He caught the train back to Ikebukuro and headed to his apartment, as he walked through the busy streets he heard a familiar male voice call out to him confusing him for a moment.

"Isn't that Ryugamine-san? Ryugamine-san." The voice was emotionless but Mikado knew it. The teen stopped and turned, forcing a smile on his face.

"Oh, hello there Yagiri-san, Harima-san, on another date?" the teen really didn't want to deal with them, in fact, he didn't know why Seji had called out to him in the first place. They knew each other but they weren't friends. In fact, Seji had tried to kill Mikado once before so the teen was always slightly wary of him.

"Yeah…are you alright? What's all that on your face?" Seji asked and Mikado touched his plaster covered cheek with his fingertips.

"Oh, I had a bit of a fall. I fell down a whole flight of stairs at my complex." Mikado lied with a sheepish laugh.  _I don't have time for this. I want to hurry up and get the things I need so I can return back to Izaya._

_I have to make sure that he actually rests and doesn't try to strain himself looking for the person who attacked him._

"I see…you should be more careful, man." Seji sounded like he didn't buy Mikado's story but nonetheless didn't try and push for an answer which the teen was glad for.

"I know…Thank you." Mikado smiled with a short nod. He just wanted to leave but it seems Seji wasn't done just yet.

"…Still, it's been a year since then, hasn't it?" the emotionless teen stated and Mikado tilted his head, wondering what Seji was talking about before it clicked. He was talking about the Dollars meeting, the whole situation between him, Mika and Namie which led to the meeting being called.

"I never got to thank you for that."

"Oh, I wouldn't be thanking me for that." Mikado shook his head. "I think everyone in the Dollars should be thanked for that. Besides, that night actually brought me and my soulmate together so maybe I should be thanking you." Mikado smiled, there was a slight glint in his eye that was a little sharper than usual, Seji noticed but didn't comment.

"I guess that's true. I didn't know you had a partner, I'm glad you were able to experience love." Seji nodded still completely emotionless but Mikado knew the other teen was sincere.

"You and Harima-san are part of the Dollars now anyway so I wouldn't worry about it. It's only natural to help other members." Mikado smiled.  _That's right, that's what the Dollars are meant to be…a community that helps and supports others, that does good things. That's what I wanted the Dollars to be._

"Yeah…I won't forget that night." Mikado murmured to himself before looking towards the couple in front of him. "I'm a bit busy right now so I'll see you later Yagiri-san, Harima-san." He nodded towards them both. "If you have any problems, feel free to talk to me whenever and I'll try my best to help." Mikado smiled before turning away.

"Huh? …yeah. Okay…bye." Seji seemed confused by Mikado suddenly ending the conversation.

"Ryugamine-kun." Harima Mika spoke up strongly which made Mikado paused and turn around. The girl still had her usual smile on her face but her fake green eyes shone with a warning. "Don't make Anri-chan cry, alright?"

Mikado stared at Mika and he couldn't help but feel as if the girl knew more than she was letting on.  _Why does she mean? I guess they didn't buy my story about falling down the stairs but why does she think I would make Sonohara-san cry? I've only known her to cry once and that was over Masaomi's disappearance._

_Why do I get a strange feeling that she knows more than she should? No, I must be wrong. How could she know anything?_

Mika broke through the tension with a laugh which confused both Mikado and Seji even further. Mika waved and sighed, "I'll see you at school."

"Uh…yeah, okay then." Mikado nodded slightly confused as the girl lead Seji away. The teen shrugged and continued walking towards his apartment.

 _What a weird girl._ He thought before shrugging once more. He didn't have time to dwell on them, the couple was far from normal so Mikado brushed off their interaction and continued on his way.

He had much more important things to worry about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!


	29. Incoming

Once he arrived at his apartment, Mikado packed a suitcase full of clothes and other belongings he would need such as his laptop and homework. He packed the groceries from the fridge back into plastic bags. There was no use keeping them at the apartment if he wasn't going to be living there, it would be a complete waste.

It took Mikado about an hour to gather up everything he needed, he decided to call a cab instead of trying to haul everything back to Shinjuku on the train. Once he'd piled everything into the boot of the cab, Mikado gave the driver the address of the building around the back and down the street of Izaya's complex not wanting to risk anything.

The teen relaxed into the back seat. His body was throbbing and he just wanted to go home and rest next to Izaya. The faster they recovered, the faster they could leap back into action. He knew that was the best course of action but trying to convince Izaya to stay in bed for any length of time was all but impossible if it didn't involve sex. Sadly, Mikado didn't think they would be able to have sex any time soon which was depressing because he'd already been craving Izaya, looking forward to whatever Izaya wanted to do to him on his birthday.

Now Mikado couldn't do anything. His mouth was sore, his hands were bandaged and his ribs were too damaged. He couldn't do anything for Izaya unless he got really creative and he wasn't even sure his body could handle that.

_I should buy some for bandages and painkillers. Kishitani-sensei gave a few tablets but with the two of us taking them, we're going to go through a lot and they're not even slow releasing so we're going to burn through them like no tomorrow._

_Plus my bandages need to be changed three times a day so I'm going to go through so many of those too._ The sound of Mikado's phone ringing brought the teen out of his thoughts and he reached into his pocket to grab his phone only to realise it wasn't the one ringing, it was his decoy phone.

He pulled the phone out of his jeans and scolded at the caller I.D., Kuronuma Aoba was calling him and Mikado couldn't express how much he didn't want to talk to the younger teen right now. He turned down the ringing volume and stared at it as it rang.

 _Maybe if I don't answer, he'll think I'm resting and leave me alone._ Mikado thought hopefully but he wasn't so lucky. He let three calls go to voicemail before he picked up the phone, he had a feeling the younger teen wouldn't stop until he did.

"Hello?" Mikado answered the phone in his usual tone, not revealing his annoyance just yet.

" _Mikado-senpai! You finally picked up."_ Aoba's overly cheerful voice spoke through the phone making the teen cringe at the overwhelming fake sickly sweet tone. " _I was wondering when you'd finally answer. I just wanted to call to ask how you are, you seemed pretty beat up last night."_

"I'm alright, what about you Kuronuma-kun? Is your hand okay?" Mikado asked with fake concern, of course, he didn't care about the younger teen's hand. In fact, he hoped it caused him much grief and pain throughout the night.

" _Oh, it's perfectly fine. Wonderful even_." There was a strangely suggestive tone to Aoba's voice that made Mikado's stomach churn and the teen couldn't help but think Aoba had taken his taunt seriously and used the hole to pleasure himself. He decided to ignore the tone and continue.

"I'm actually trying to rest at the moment so if-"

" _You're such a liar senpai._ " Aoba chuckled. " _I just saw you get into a cab. I was coming around to perhaps nurse you back to health and then I saw you get into a cab with a bunch of bags._ " Aoba's sound was still overly cheerful but underneath that, there was a tone of annoyance and threat. " _Where are you going Mikado-senpai?_ " Aoba lowered his voice in a way that made the hairs on the back of Mikado's neck stand up.

"Well, it seems that a rather unsettling person now knows where I live so I've decided to stay elsewhere while I recover," Mikado said cheerfully.  _Just how much of a stalker is his kid? Did he seriously think I would just let him inside my apartment while I saw injured, or in fact, I would ever let him willingly into my apartment?_

"Really? That is quite concerning. You know, you have the Blue Squares now so you could just order us to get rid of that person." Aoba suggested cheerfully.

 _I was talking about you, you fucking walnut._ Mikado thought, rubbing his temples. "No, you guys should lie low for a while. You caught a lot of unwanted attention yesterday so you should wait until things pass over before doing anything."

" _It's not you, Senpai. It's us, you're one of us one."_ Aoba giggled and Mikado frowned.

"I guess that's true. At any rate, lie low for a little while." Mikado ordered the younger teen. "Tension with the police and Awakusu-kai are much too high to act right now."

"Of course Mikado-senpai, whatever you wish." Aoba agreed easily and Mikado knew that the baby faced teen was grinning. Mikado frowned and resisted the urge to grit his teeth.

_I really wish I didn't have to deal with this damn kid. Especially right now, Izaya just got stabbed for Christ's sake, I don't care about him or his mind games right now!_

"If that's all. I have to go." Mikado says curtly, "I want to rest and recover quickly."

" _Of course! Don't worry Mikado-senpai, we're all be waiting for when you're all better."_ Aoba reassured him before he lowered his voice to a more suggestive tone. "Until then…I want you to know that if you need anything you can call me. I'll happily nurse you back to health Senpai…I'll do anything and I mean anything~. I know you hurt your hands so-"

"No, thank you. I'm not interested. Goodbye, Aboa-kun." Mikado said curtly before hanging up on the younger teen. He glared at his phone with annoyance.  _Does he seriously think that I would let him anywhere near my dick? Even if I wasn't with Izaya, I still wouldn't give that crazy bastard the time of day. Honestly, what is he thinking? Doesn't he have any respect for himself?_

_I can't imagine just giving my body to anyone and everyone. I only want to give it to the person I love. I know I find others attractive, like Kenshi-san from the gym and even Kadota-san but imagining them touching me just makes me feel dirty._

_I mean even Shiki-san is really good looking but that's only because he looks exactly like what I imagine Izaya to look like in twenty years. He just looks like an older version of Izaya._

_But even then, I know he isn't Izaya so I wouldn't even let him touch me. Sex is something so precious and if it's done right then it can be about so much more than just lust. Sex without love just seems like such a sad concept to me. I don't think I'd even be able to get aroused if I wasn't with the person I loved - if it wasn't with Izaya._

The cab pulled up out front of the address Mikado had given him and he paid the driver before grabbing all his bags from the boot. He struggled to carry all the bags with his injuries and his ribs screamed at him in pain as he started the short journey to Izaya's apartment.

Once in the elevator, he leaned against the cool metal of the wall as sweat dripped down his forehead.  _I really didn't think about how much carrying all of these in one go while walking here would hurt. I think I'll also take a nap when I get back._

_I hope Izaya's been good and stayed in bed. I swear if he's up and working, I'm not going to be impressed. He can at least give it a few days, he said that his apartment was safe so it should be okay for a few days._

_He needs to recover and so do I…I'll put all this stuff away and check on him._

Much to Mikado's relief, Izaya was fast asleep in bed when he checked on him. The teen smiled and leaned against the doorway.  _He looks so innocent when he's sleeping, almost like a child._ He thought lovingly before sighing and carefully shrugging off his jacket and walking towards the bed himself.

Mikado stripped down to his shirt and underwear before crawling into bed beside the sleeping Izaya. The teen carefully brushed Izaya's fringe from his face and studied his lover's features.

_He really is beautiful…I'll never understood why he chose me of all people when he could have anyone…_

_With all I did yesterday…what will Izaya say when he finds out? Will he be excited? Angry? Concerned? Impressed? I can't tell…he's such a complex man, his emotions change at the drop of a hat but then again, I guess I'm not any better…_

_What am I going to do with the Dollars? I have the Blue Squares now to do my bidding but what exactly do I do? I want to return the Dollars back to how they were during the first meeting. We were all united back then, people were excited and proud to be part of the Dollars but now…it's turning into your average gang of thugs._

_I didn't want the Dollars to be like this…when people started taking it seriously I wanted to use the Dollars to erase the bad impact of the other colour gangs but now…we're the ones making the bad impact._

_Those men, the ones that kidnapped the girls and beat me up…they're a disgrace…they're like giant stains on the Dollars that dirty the gang's reputation but…what can I do to stop them? There's no way I can track all their IP addresses and learn about every single one of them. There has to be over a hundred rotten eggs, to say the least…_

_But how else can I rid the Dollars of such a disease?_ Mikado thought long and hard about it before it finally came to him, the solution.

 _To stop the infection from spread you have to separate the diseased from everyone else. I have to get rid of them. They act so openly I can use the Blue Squares to hunt them down and steal their phones. Then they can delete their Dollars account!_ Mikado grinned at the thought.

_Yes! That will work! I'll start with the guys who kidnapped those girls and beat me up! I'll get rid of them! We don't need scum like that in the Dollars. I'll turn it back into something I can be proud of again, that all the members can be proud of!_

_The Dollars can become good again, protectors of the city and that way…_ Mikado looked at Izaya's sleeping face.  _The ones I love will be safe. I'll create a safe place for us…me and my friends but more importantly…me and Izaya._

_Yes, that's all that really matters, if I can return the Dollars to their original state then I can use them to make those I love happy. I can have peace when I want, have entertainment when I want…Yes, I'll make the perfect Dollars for everyone and then everything will be just fine._

_After all…there's no rule in the Dollars saying I can't, right?_

_Aah…_

_I'm so excited._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Both Mikado and Izaya think Shiki is attractive because they both think he looks like an older version of the other. (lol)


	30. Let It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With so many bottled up emotions, it was bound to burst out at some point.

Mikado woke up with a hazy mind and a pained body. He didn't know how much time had passed since he'd fallen asleep. He had slept like the dead but with everything that had happened in the last few days – he guessed that was to be expected.

Izaya was still fast asleep beside him, Mikado studied his face noticing that he already had more colour to him. Mikado smiled, he was tempted to brush Izaya's hair from his face but the man was such a light sleeper, the teen was worried that he'd wake up.

A quick look at his phone revealed it was early evening. Mikado carefully got out of bed, gritting his teeth at the pain he felt and waddled to the bathroom. After taking a well-deserved shower, which was incredibly painful, the teen retreated his wounds and bandages himself back up.

 _What a mess this is. I thought for sure that no matter what happened we'd be spending Izaya's birthday as planned but now…I guess I can still prepare food here, I'm sure Izaya can still handle normal food as none of his organs were damaged._ The teen thought, dressing in a loose shirt and a pair of shorts.

Mikado rummaged through the kitchen, getting out the things he needed to cook for Izaya. He knew his lover had a thing for tuna so he decided that he would cook tuna tataki with various side dishes. It was a bit of a process to make so many things at once but Mikado didn't mind, in fact, he was glad that he had something to keep his mind occupied instead of sitting around letting his thoughts eat away at him.

He didn't know if it was the noise or the smell of food but half an hour later a tired looking Izaya appeared in the kitchen. "What are you making?" he asked and Mikado smiled.

"Tuna Tataki." The teen replied and Izaya's eyes opened wider. Mikado chuckled slightly, "It won't be done for a little while longer."

"Such a lovely wife you are, dear." Izaya chuckled and kissed Mikado on the cheek, the teen blushed slightly, usually, he'd rebuff the comment but right now, he actually kind of liked the thought of being married to Izaya.

 _It's stupid to think about though, gay marriage isn't legal here and Izaya isn't the type to settle down anyway._ Mikado quietly sighed.  _Maybe one day when we're older…_ he thought, allowing himself to be just a little hopeful.

Mikado finished cooking and plated up the meals putting the fish and side dishes on separate plates, making it almost buffet style where you could take what you want.

The teen set the table and looked around the room to see that Izaya wasn't there. Curious and a little worried he walked up the hallway and into the bedroom, he could hear the water running in the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"Izaya? Dinner's ready." He called out but there was no response. Mikado frowned and knocked again. "Izaya?" Mikado started to get concerned. "I'm coming in." he opened the door to find Izaya standing at the basin with the tap on just staring at himself in the mirror.

 _What…what is he doing?_ Mikado frowned, the older man was seemingly lost in his own reflection as if he was looking into his own soul. It was something Mikado did himself, he looked himself in the eyes to see what he found but never to the extent that he couldn't hear someone call out to him.

"Izaya." Mikado called the man again and he broke out of his stupor with a slight jump.

"Whoa. You scared me." Izaya gave a breathless chuckled and Mikado forced a smile on his own face.

"Dinner's ready."

Mikado watched in a mixture of amusement and surprise as Izaya dug into his food like a starved animal, the man was usually pretty refined when eating but tonight, it seems he'd thrown it all out the window.

"Hungry?" Mikado teased playfully nibbling at his own food and Izaya grinned,

"Yes and as always your cooking is delicious to the point of making me a glutton."

"Such high praise." Mikado smiled happily. The meal passed peacefully with light chatter but there was an unmistakable tension in the air. Mikado wasn't sure if it was just because they were so stressed or the problems forming in their relationship.

Mikado was suspicious of Izaya, that the man had purposely put him in danger for no good reason. Mikado knew someone attacked Izaya but he didn't know why or who it was – it was his punishment for turning a blind eye to Izaya's job. Because of his ignorance and selfishness, Izaya was seriously injured and he didn't know why. He didn't know anything whilst he thought that Izaya knew everything about what had happened to him.

Why had things turned out this way? Mikado loved Izaya and yet…he didn't trust him, he kept secrets and avoiding talking about things making Izaya do the same. Izaya changed how he acted around Mikado just to please him while leaving the man to fully deal with all of his bad points.

_What kind of horrible, selfish person am I? I don't deserve to be loved, especially not by someone like Izaya. Who I am to be judging people like I'm better than them!? God, how…why did I become like this? I hate this, I hate the person I am right now._

"Mikado? Mikado?" Izaya's voice sounded worried as he touched the teen's arm bringing him back to reality. Mikado looked at Izaya seeing an expression of worry etched into his face. "Are you alright babe? You were shaking a little bit."

Without warning or any prior sign at all, tears fell from Mikado's eyes, dripping down his cheeks as he stared at the man in front of him. The teen quickly wiped them away trying to stop himself from crying.

 _Stop it! Stop crying damn it, I wanted to let Izaya enjoy his birthday!_ But the tears wouldn't stop.

"Mikado, Babe, what's wrong?" Izaya asked worriedly, his brows furrowed but it only made Mikado feel worse and cry harder.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry Izaya…" he choked out between sobs. Izaya got up and wrapped his arms around the teen, carefully bringing him to his chest.

"What are you apologising for you silly baby?" Izaya murmured into his hair. Mikado sobbed into the man's chest all too aware of the injury under his lover's clothes. The teen didn't think he deserved the man's warm, comforting embrace – so loving and caring but being the selfish person he was, he didn't dare pull away.

"I'm sorry Izaya….I've been an awful boyfriend…."

Mikado wiped away his tears but they wouldn't stop falling. He couldn't look at Izaya as he cursed himself for ruining his lover's birthday. Why couldn't he just wait? Why did he have to ruin everything?

"No babe, what are you talking about?" Izaya protested, "Don't cry, come on dear, you're an amazing boyfriend."

"I'm not…I'm not…we both know it…." Mikado rasped. "I've treated you so badly, I created this weird tension in our relationship."

"No, Mikado." Izaya put his hands on the teen's shoulders making him look at the man. "I did that. I do things that I know will upset you, that will put those you care about in danger – I know it upsets you but I do it anyway."

"But as you said before…I knew that you did that sort of thing…." Mikado struggled to catch his breath. "You're the only one that accepts all of me, I don't have to act with you at all but…I denied you…I made you hide the parts that I didn't want to see but showed you all my ugly sides…expecting you to accept them even though I didn't do the same to you…." Mikado wiped his nose on the back on his back and sniffed.

"I've been awful….I got so angry about Kida even though he was never that good of a friend to me…he always treated me like an idiot, like I needed babysitting...but you…from the first time we've met…you've been nothing but supportive and understanding…doing your best to make me happy…but I…when have I ever done that for you?" Mikado asked honestly looking into Izaya's eyes. The older man averted his eyes giving the teen his answer.

"We can't go on like this…our relationship will be ruined if we do that's why…I want to accept all of you…the bad along with the good, all your little quirks and craziness – the same as you did for me. I don't think I'll be able to get on board with everything you do but I know you have reasons why you do a lot of things….I want to understand you more, I want you to feel like you can tell me things without me judging you or getting angry." Mikado looked deep into Izaya's red eyes and the older man looked touched but also unsure.

"I'm going to be completely open. From now on I'm going to tell you everything…." Mikado sniffed, choking on his words slightly as his tears finally started to slow. "I love you so much so I can't bare this stupid distance, I want us to work, I want us to be together and I've been sabotaging it…so no more, please…" Mikado took Izaya's hand and squeezed it. "No more lies and no more secrets…I swear, I promise that from now on I'll accept all of you not only the nice parts – I'll love all of you as you do to me…" Mikado trailed off his voice breaking near the end.

Mikado closed his eyes as Izaya cupped his cheek, "My sweet Mikado…how are you this precious?" Izaya said with a loving smile. The teen blinked as his heart quickened.

"I never thought I'd have someone to be completely honest and open with…I know that I'm not the best person but the fact that you love me so much that you would accept all of me like this means the world to me…I don't…know how to open up really, I don't think I've ever done it before…" Izaya murmured resting his forehead on Mikado's. The teen smiled gently,

"I'm not very good at it either so we can figure it out together…I'm sure that we can do it...we don't have to rush, as long as we love each other – it will world out in the end." Mikado smiled looking into his lover's shining red eyes.

"Yeah…you're right…" Izaya breathed before leaning forward and kissing Mikado. The teen melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around the older man's shoulders as their lips moved together. They forgot completely about the pain in their bodies as they kissed feverously. Mikado opened his mouth, allowing Izaya to slide in his tongue. The teen shuddered at the feeling of their tongues dancing together, the taste of Izaya and the sheer amount of love and emotion that was in the kiss.

"Ah…" Mikado pulled away as he felt something drip down his chin, stinging pain on his lip.  _That's right…I split my lip open…it stings but…I don't want to stop…_

"Are you alright Mikado?" Izaya asked with concern, his eyes wide with worry. The teen smiled and wiped the blood from his chin.

"I'm fine, it's just annoying…I wanted to keep kissing you." Mikado sighed with a smile. Izaya chuckled and grabbed the teen's chin, the teen heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest as his lover licked the blood trickling from his wound.

"Just wait until you're healed, baby." Izaya purred, his lips red with the teen's blood. Mikado shivered, feeling his groin stir at the sight. "I'll definitely make it worth it." the older man kissed Mikado's cheek and the teen licked his lips, the metallic taste of his own blood coating his tongue.

"I know you will." He murmured breathlessly.

* * *

 

"Say…when you said you wanted to know everything about me…what did you mean?" Mikado blinked at Izaya's question, they had returned to bed to rest their bodies and were currently watching TV.

"Well…I meant everything. When I think about it, I don't know that much about you…." Mikado said sadly, "What were you like before I met you? What do you do everything at work? Do you have worries and things like that? Everything." The teen looked at Izaya who looked thoughtful.

"Now that you mention it…I don't know much either. You barely talk about the time before you came to Ikebukuro…I will admit I did a lot of digging on you when we first met so I know a lot of technical things like your grades and your parent's address…" Izaya admitted quietly and Mikado looked at him a little shocked.

"E-eh? You know all of that?" Mikado blushed slightly, the thought of Izaya sitting in front of his computer researching everything about him gave him mixed emotions. He was flattered but also a little taken back. Izaya looked a bit sheepish before he smiled gently.

"Yeah, the first day I met you…I stayed up all that night finding out everything about you that I could. I remember being really frustrated that no matter how much I found out…I didn't feel remotely satisfied…so I decided that I was going to get close to you in person and make you reveal everything to me…"

Mikado stared at Izaya, his chest tight as his heart quickened. The teen watched as Izaya closed his eyes with a regretful expression.

"I…back then…I had a dirty dream about you that got me all riled up so I decided to have my way, I would seduce you…then throw you away when I was done but the more I talked to you the more obsessed with you I became. I thought about you constantly – I remember I wanted you to be mine, I was going to make you mine…" Izaya trailed off for a moment.

"I think…if you hadn't accepted my advances…I probably would have done something terrible to fulfill my wishes. God, thinking about that now breaks my heart." Izaya's voice broke slightly as he covered his eyes with his hand.

Mikado lowered his eyes, looking at his heavily bandaged hands. "I can't say that my thoughts at the start of our relationship were all that nice either." He admitted quietly before looking up to face Izaya.

"Right from the moment we meet I thought you were amazing, cool, attractive and intriguing to the point that I couldn't look away from you. But when you started paying me more attention I caught on instantly and felt…I guess empowered that someone so supposedly dangerous and attractive was flirting with me that I thought that if I went along with it, it would surely give me some excitement." Mikado sighed, feeling guilty.

He hadn't really been all that interested in Izaya as a person but more the way he made the teen feel. He had felt so blown away with Izaya's focus on him, in a new city where no one knew him – he could be whoever he wanted. He thought that by playing around with someone so insanely attractive and extraordinary, he would be able to throw away his old self just as he desired.

"I knew you weren't serious at the start so I wasn't either. I just let myself drown in the pleasure and emotions of excitement that you gave me. But as time when on, the feeling of exhilaration never faded and I started to think it was love. When we spent that weekend in Tokyo and we had sex for the first time…I was convinced I loved you but was really scared because of it because I was so sure you were just playing with me." Mikado shook his head remembering the confusion and fear he had been in back then.

"But I bit the bullet and confessed to you and you didn't throw me out which I was so thankful for but now…I'm not sure I was in love with you then…I think I was just confused, I didn't know what love was so I just assumed…but the feelings I had back then don't even begin to hold a candle to the ones I have now…" Mikado met eyes with Izaya, the older man's red eyes were thoughtful and understanding.

Mikado reached out a shaky hand and touched Izaya's check. "The feelings I have for you now are so powerful that it's almost scary. I love you just so much." Mikado said passionately looking into Izaya's red eyes and the older man gave a small smile.

"I know babe…I know, I feel the same." Izaya murmured pulling Mikado close. "Love is a lot more powerful than I ever thought but I'm glad that I fell in love with you."

"Yeah, me too." Mikado snuggled up against his lover ignoring the ache in his body but being mindful of Izaya's injury. They talked late into the night, Izaya told Mikado all about his childhood, how his parents always worked and he was an honour student in elementary, was even the student council president but he never made friends always preferring to watch from a distance.

His parents weren't around much because they traveled for work so he all but raised his sisters which he thought caused their oddities. When he reached middle school he thought that he'd go through just the same but that's when he met Shinra.

Mikado listened carefully to his story of how he began to grow bored and restless making him turn to more unsavoury things like gambling and information collecting to keep himself entertained. The man told him about Nakura and how Shinra had taken a knife for him making him feel guilty and indebted to Shinra. He told him how he'd been messing with Nakura ever since, using him as a scapegoat.

Mikado found it fascinating to hear about Izaya's life, he knew that not many others would know so much about the informant as he did. Izaya told him about Shizuo, about becoming an informant and getting his big break when Kine introduced him to Shiki. Izaya spilled everything and Mikado listened well input small remarks and asking questions.

As the night went on, Mikado's eyes started to droop and Izaya's voice grew raspy from so much talking. "Thank you for telling me all of that Izaya." The teen smiled sleepily, Izaya nodded. They were nowhere near done, they hadn't even brushed on the war between the Blue Squares and Yellow Scarves or anything that had happened since Mikado had arrived in Ikebukuro but there were still a few days of golden week left and neither of them planned on going anywhere.


	31. Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izaya finally reveals why he was stabbed much to Mikado's horror and disbelief.

Mikado woke up to an empty bed well into the next afternoon, he groaned as pain assaulted his body. He stumbled out of bed and to the kitchen to get some painkillers only to find Izaya on the sectional sofa with a laptop, and while the laptop was lit up and showing some sort of document, Izaya was fast asleep.

Mikado sighed.  _This man…I wonder when he got up and did this. I understand that he's looking for his attacker and that he wants to get revenge…even I hope that Izaya hunts him down and gives him hell but he was stabbed only a day ago…he needs to rest._ The teen thought worriedly closing the man's laptop and setting it on the coffee table.

Mikado carefully moved Izaya so he was laying on his right side, the fact his lover didn't wake up was a clear sign that he needed rest as Izaya was usually a very light sleeper. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his ribs the teen got the older man in a position that put no pressure on his wound and covered him in a blanket.

Mikado sighed before he smiled looking at Izaya's sleeping face tenderly.  _You're a troublemaker, you know that don't you?_ The teen watched his lover sleep for some time before the smile slipped off his face.

_There's still so much to talk about and I have to go back to school soon…I still don't know who attacked you and why…you said they're after you too, are you in a lot of danger? Did you finally mess with the wrong people?_

_I don't know if you knew about the Blue Squares or if you knew they were attacking Toramaru. Did you know Toramaru were coming to counter-attack? Were you behind the things that happened or did you have nothing to do with them?_

Mikado sighed.  _How can there be so much I don't know when it comes to you, Izaya? What have I been doing all this time? We've been together for a year now and I've just been turning a blind eye to the things you do…_

_But…you haven't tried to tell me about them either…I wonder if he's worried that I will start to hate him as everyone else does…Izaya always seems like he's strong but in the rare times, he's opened up to me…I can see that he isn't strong at all, why did it take me so long to realise? Why was I treating him like he was some unbreakable force? Izaya is amazing, he's super smart and knows how to handle himself when in danger but he's still human…He's just as emotional as I am._

Mikado sighed once more and let out a groan as he rose to his feet.  _When Izaya wakes up…we'll talk once more but for now, I should make some food so I can take some more painkillers._

It was late afternoon when Mikado heard Izaya groan. The teen looked up from his laptop to where his older lover was stirring on the other side of the sectional sofa. Mikado got up and rushed over to Izaya to help him sit up so he wouldn't strain himself. Izaya's red eyes were still hazy with sleep as they focused on the teen's face.

"Good morning sleepy head." Mikado smiled as Izaya looked around in slight confusion.

"Why am I in the lounge room?" Izaya asked his voice scratchy before he cleared his throat.

"You fell asleep on the sofa and I couldn't carry you to bed," Mikado explained a little sheepishly.

"You could have just woken me up." The older man grumbled and the teen sighed.

"You need your rest Izaya." Mikado stepped back, "If you're going to leave the bed in the middle of the night and fall asleep on the sofa then what was I meant to do? What's to say you wouldn't try to go back to work if I had woken you up?" the teen crossed his arms and cocked his brow and Izaya averted his eyes.

 _That's what I thought. He totally would have fought going to bed._ Mikado sighed, "Would you like some tea and lunch? The faster you eat something the quicker you can take some painkillers."

Izaya perked up at the mention of pain relief and smiled. "Yes please, but I can do it myself. You need to rest too." Izaya protested and Mikado shook his head with a smile.

"Don't worry about it. I'm already up. Besides, I already took my painkillers so I'm not in any pain." Mikado grinned and Izaya sighed with a smile.

"Alright then, you win."

Mikado fixed up some food with a side of painkillers and handed it to Izaya before returning to his own laptop. The sounds of Mikado's keyboard and Izaya's quiet eating filled the room for a while before the man finished his meal and swallowed his painkillers with a large mouthful of tea.

"What are you doing babe?" Izaya asked curiously peaking over at the teen's laptop. Mikado paused looking at his screen which was an obvious mess of code from the Dollars website.

"Well…I decided that I want to try and clean up the Dollars a little bit. If we keep going the way we are then there's no doubt in my mind that the police or even the Yakuza will come and shut us down, there was a lot of chaos with the both of them during the confrontation with Toramaru the other day to the point that I'm worried that the Dollars will be destroyed by the careless actions of a few members." Mikado explained with a frown, staring at the screen with determined eyes.

"I see, so what are you trying to do?" the informant asked curiously, resting his head on the younger male's shoulder. Mikado thought for a moment before speaking up,

"I'd like to deal with it as quietly as possible. My plan is to track down those who show ill behaviour on the website via their IP address, once I find out who they are – I'll see the Blue Squares out to deal with them and forcefully make them quit the Dollars…" Mikado explained to Izaya who hummed as if he were in deep thought.

"Honestly…I don't know if it's the right thing to do…" Mikado admitted quietly and Izaya frowned, studying his expression. "If I start attacking people then that doesn't really make me any better than those I want to purge." The teen lowered his eyes.

"Using the Blue Squares, the purging will definitely just look like a rival gang picking off the loud members which will most likely spark a gang war as no one will know it's an inside job," Izaya said thoughtfully.

 _I didn't really think about that, things will get messy if a serious war starts and the Blue Squares start being hunted but, let's say – Kadota's group. If anyone comes after them then they'll throw me under the bus and I'll become a target._ Mikado clenched his teeth as the thought about how the Blue Squares had made him a target for the Toramaru when caught by surprise.  _To become a target of my own organisation would be more than a bad joke._

"I want to try and keep the Blue Squares on the down low, if they start walking around openly then there will be trouble, the Dollars won't be as lenient as they were with the Yellow Scarves – especially because the Blue Squares is quite small as a gang after the last fight where they posed as the Yellow Scarves," Mikado explained looking into Izaya's eyes. "I'll make it that they'll only wear their colours when they're attacking to hide their identities so I don't really think a war will be too much of a problem."

Mikado lowered his eyes once again, looking at his laptop screen with a serious expression. "I think I have a problem with attacking people in general…something inside me is still telling me it's not right, I don't know if I'm just weak or a coward or what but…"

Mikado looked up when Izaya sighed and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I know what you mean babe and it's not because you're weak or a coward. You have to think about this way, how much damage have those people done? Those you're targeting aren't innocent, the majority are actual criminals preying on the weak and terrorizing Ikebukuro using your organisation as a cover." Izaya narrowed his eyes as if he were picturing the thugs they were talking about.

"Plus, sometimes you have to do the wrong thing to do the right thing. Just like what I did." Izaya murmured using his free hand to wrap around his stomach, resting his fingers lightly over the bandages just past his hip.

"What do you mean? Is this about what got you stabbed?" Mikado asked, his brow furrowing in worry and concern. Izaya hadn't told him why exactly he'd gotten stabbed, and while he'd been worried that Izaya had done something really bad – maybe that hadn't been the case at all?

Izaya was quiet for a moment before he took a deep breath in and exhaled before he started his story. "Not that long ago I helped a young girl run away. Her name is Awakusu Akane." The older man looked slightly conflicted as if he didn't know if he truly wanted to tell Mikado or not.

 _Akane…that name sounds familiar…_ Mikado frowned, thinking for a moment before realising.  _Oh! The girl that was with Sonohara-san was named Akane…he is talking about her?_ The teen wondering picturing the small girl with messy bangs.

"She found out her family was Yakuza and wanted to run away so I reached out to her to help her do it in the safest way possible and made Namie-san go meet up with her in my stead. Most people would consider that the wrong thing to do but there was a reason I did." Mikado met eyes with Izaya when the older man looked up.

"Awakusu Mikiya, Akane-chan's father is the dumbest heir I have ever met. He put his trust in an obviously not trustworthy man that the executives all agreed was shady to help – Yodogiri Jinnai. Mikiya went behind everyone's back to make a deal with the man that he would find Hijiribe Ruri in exchange that Yodogiri got rid of a few problem people in the Awakusu-kai." Izaya explained and Mikado listened carefully, a sinking feeling in his chest.

"But the deal wasn't good enough because I found out that Yodogiri planned to kidnap Akane and made her run away, hiding her. And then I got Shizu-chan involved because I knew that one, he wouldn't hurt a child and two, can't keep his nose out of other people's business and would protect Akane when he realised that she was in danger out of sheer instinct." Izaya sighed and closed his eyes.

"It was the wrong things to do, make Akane-chan run away from home and even attack Shizu-chan but if I hadn't done such a thing there would be a high chance they Akane-chan would become captive and he would have used her to blackmail the Awakusu-kai into doing whatever he wanted…"

 _I had no idea she was in so much danger…I can't believe someone would try and do something so horrid to an innocent child. Even if her family are yakuza, she's still just a little girl…_ Mikado thought shocked.  _Izaya worked so hard to keep her safe even though everyone will probably just think he did something awful…he planned it perfectly so Akane would be okay and yet…_

"Izaya…this is the reason you were attacked?" Mikado murmured horrified at the thought of the man being punished for doing something good. The teen already knew from Izaya's smile before he even said anything.

"Yeah…Yodogiri Jinnai stabbed me for interfering with his plan to kidnap Akane." Izaya said with an ironic smile. And Mikado couldn't help but think how unfair thing was as he leaned forward to carefully embrace his older lover as he thought.

_I always thought that Izaya's informant side was only ever up to no good, I always thought that he only did bad things but how wrong I was…Izaya does good things too, he actually helps people..._

_I know he does a lot of bad things too but…he has balance, he does both. I never thought he was evil per se but now I know…Izaya will just do whatever he feels like, just like everyone else – he does what suits him best. Just as I thought, all this time – I've been a bad boyfriend, judging Izaya off of rumours and people who don't really know him._

_I'm so sorry Izaya, I'll make this up to you I swear._ Mikado silently promised as he held Izaya close before pulling back slightly, looking into the older man's eyes.

"I hope you find the man who did this to you, the asshole that hurt you and absolutely destroy him," Mikado said seriously, holding Izaya's face in his hands. The older man smirked,

"How ruthless you've become, my dear." He murmured affectionately and Mikado smiled.

"Of course, I won't let anyone get away with hurting what is mine." Mikado breathed. Mikado's heart soared as he watched Izaya's red eyes widen and blush dust over his cheeks before he hugged Mikado around his waist.

"I am ours, aren't I?" the older man murmured with a happy smile. They embraced tenderly for a moment before Izaya groans into Mikado's chest.

"You're so cruel Mikado, saying something that cute when we're like this." he complained looking up at the teen, "It's totally unfair!" Mikado laughed good-naturedly and kissed Izaya on the cheek.

"I would say I'm sorry but I'm not," Mikado smirked playfully, leaning into Izaya's ear. "Seems like you'll have to wait for your birthday present, won't you?

Izaya groaned dramatically and nuzzled into the teen's neck. Mikado had a feeling that they wouldn't be able to wait until they were healed and he didn't know if that was a good thing or not but he was looking forward to it.

There's only so much temptation one man can take when the one they love is so eager.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HIATUS - Hello readers! I'm afraid to announce that Evolution will be going on a short hiatus. I've been writing this series for over a year now and in these two months, I haven't written much because I have been recovering from surgery and getting my wisdom teeth removed. For the first time, I've fallen behind in chapters and hit a bit of a slump. So I'll be taking a break from uploading so I can catch up and get back into the groove of things. Thank you for understanding.
> 
> Meanwhile, if you have any questions or even would just like to chat feel free hit me up on twitter atHIATUS - Hello readers! I'm afraid to announce that Evolution will be going on a short hiatus. I've been writing this series for over a year now and in these two months, I haven't written much because I have been recovering from surgery and getting my wisdom teeth removed. For the first time, I've fallen behind in chapters and hit a bit of a slump. So I'll be taking a break from uploading so I can catch up and get back into the groove of things. Thank you for understanding.
> 
> Meanwhile, if you have any questions or even would just like to chat feel free hit me up on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Rinrin81865278 or just search 'Denrinko' Any support gives me a boost, thanks again! or just search 'Denrinko' Any support gives me a boost, thanks again!


	32. A Moment of Relief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado knew that after all of the teasing and the stress in the last few days that there was a chance that this would happen.

Mikado knew that after all of the teasing and the stress in the last few days that there was a chance that this would happen. Though, the teen hadn't expected it to happen so soon. He sighed, Izaya moving had woken him up and now…and now he laying there with an erection.

The teen sat up slowly, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. He was only teasing Izaya earlier about this and now he'd been hit with karma.  _I wonder if I can get to the bathroom? I can at least wait there until it goes down._ He thought hopefully pushing the blankets off his body but he immediately failed as Izaya sat up, the older man must have already been awake.

"Mikado? Are you alright?" he asked concerned and Mikado nodded frantically not wanting the older man to find out about his erection, it was embarrassing under the best circumstances but now when there was nothing either of them could do, it was practically shameful.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine!" he stuttered quickly recovering his lower half with the blankets. "It's nothing!" it didn't even sound convincing to him so he wasn't surprised that Izaya didn't believe him. The older man turned on the lamp next to him giving the teen a skeptical look, his eyebrow raised.

"It's nothing, I just need to go to the bathroom." Mikado tried again but much to his disappointment, Izaya wasn't having it.

 _Ah, why does he have to be so smart all the time? This is so awkward…_  Mikado thought helplessly as Izaya's eyes drifted to the cover Mikado was obviously holding over him.

"Come on babe." Izaya murmured tugging on the blankets.  _What is he doing!?_ Mikado thought, pulling the blankets back in his panic. They continued to tug back and forth for a moment before Mikado saw a flash of pain in Izaya's eyes and he immediately let go.  _I can't let Izaya hurt himself more over this! Not this stupid!_

Mikado blushed furiously when Izaya's eyes landed on his very obvious erection it took all of thirty seconds before the older man smirked, his eyes lighting up with obvious delight.

"Oh~, is this what you were so desperate to hide?" Izaya purred, his arm wrapping around the teen's waist to cup his erection.

"Mhm!" Mikado moaned slightly, "W-wait Izaya! We, ah, can't!" the teen protested but Izaya didn't let up, rubbing the teen's member through his pants.

"Of course we can babe, we just have to get creative." Mikado could hear the smirk in his lover's voice as he nipped the teen's neck seductively, licking the shell of his ear as his hand slipped into his pants.

Mikado gasped as Izaya started to rub him, turning his head to capture his lover's lips in a desperate kiss. Izaya pulled him back onto the bed settling between the teen's legs as they continued to kiss. Mikado's tongue slipped into Izaya's mouth as soon as the elder opened his mouth with a sweet sigh.

Mikado moaned deep in his throat as Izaya teased the head of his erection, rubbing the beading slit with his thumb.

The teen could feel his spilt lip reopen, he could taste the blood as their tongues mingled but they didn't stop, if anything the pain just made Mikado even more aroused than he already was.

It didn't take Mikado long to notice that his lover was also aroused, despite his bandaged hands the teen rubbed Izaya's erection through his shorts.

"Ah!" Izaya broke away with a surprised moan before groaning and pulling out his own member to rub it together with Mikado's. The teen moaned breathily as he felt the hot flesh of Izaya's dick touch his. He could feel himself getting hotter and hotter staring at Izaya's face - his eyes were closed and his brow was furrowed as quick breaths left his lips.

He looked so delightful. Mikado pulled the older man into another messy kiss, their tongues swirling together, the taste of their saliva's mixing with the blood from Mikado's lip. The teen traced his tongue along the roof of Izaya's mouth making the man shudder and pull away from the kiss with a breathy moan.

Mikado felt the splash of Izaya's release hit his own erection as he watched the man's face, finding great pleasure in watching his lover come. Izaya was breathing heavily when he came down from the high of his orgasm. Once he'd regained his senses Izaya moved quickly, kissing Mikado greedily. The teen returned the kiss just as passionately before Izaya pulled away, positioning himself so he could take the teen into his eager mouth.

Mikado moaned as Izaya swallowed him back, he was covered in the older man's release but Izaya didn't obviously care as sucked from base to tip, licking the dripping tip in a way that made the teen tremble. "Ahh…Izaya…wait-" Mikado wanted to protest, worried that the position that man was in would affect his injury but a meaningful glare from Izaya was enough to silence him.

Mikado ran his hands through Izaya's silky hair, moaning as the man worked his magic. "Izaya…" Mikado breathed pulling at the man's hair, they met eyes and Mikado licked his eyes. "It feels good." The sight twinkle in Izaya's eye was enough to know that he was delighted with the feedback as he started bobbing his head back and forth faster, sucking harder.

"Fuck, Izaya…!" Mikado moaned, his head thudding against the headboard as he let it fall back, his legs reflexively closed as his orgasm built up. "Ah shit, I'm gonna come. Izaya!" Mikado moaned biting his lip as he unintentionally squeezed Izaya's head between his thighs, trapping him there. He came with a loud moan of Izaya's name, feeling that man swallow up all he had to offer before going completely boneless and limp against the bed.

Izaya licked the tip of the teen's dick clean before he sat up, wiping his mouth with a smug smile. "Wasn't that so much better than going to the bathroom alone?"

Mikado laughed breathlessly, "Yeah it was." The teen reached out a stroked Izaya, who was once again hard, his bandages becoming soaked in precum. "I'm sorry Izaya, if only I'd been more careful then we could have actually…" Izaya's kiss quickly silenced the teen.

"Don't worry about it baby, I'm injured too. It's just as much your fault as mine." Izaya positioning himself once again to take Mikado in his mouth. It was times like this that the man's slight oral fixation came in really handy.

"I'll work really hard now so you can pay me back later." The man smirked, licking his lips. Mikado smirked and brushed his thumb over Izaya's wet lips, his fingers dipping inside and lightly scratching the roof of Izaya's mouth.

"Ahghh!" Izaya thudded and moaned, melting at the touch much to Mikado's delight as he continued to tease his lover's weakness.

"Of course, Izaya…" he purred with a smirk.

* * *

 

Mikado woke up with a groan, his eyes slowly opened. He sighed, not wanting to move despite needing to use the bathroom. He sighed once more, slightly annoyed that his rest was disturbed as he slowly sat up.

Mikado blushed furiously as he noticed that his naked body was covered in a layer of dried semen.  _Oh my god…_ the teen thought, covering his mouth in slight shock.  _We definitely went overboard last night, I can't even remember how many times I came. Izaya really went all out, it was amazing._ The teen looked at his lover beside him who was just as covered in the dried up mess as he was, though Izaya had it in his hair and everything in between.

 _We must have completely passed out afterward, he completely emptied me out. I'm definitely going to have to repay him tenfold once I'm better._ The teen thought as he slowly climbed out of bed.  _How lucky am I to have a lover who would do this for me?_ Mikado had indeed forgotten about his injuries halfway through using his bandaged hands to give the man pleasure by teasing his sensitive mouth and even a hand job or two which had been amazing at the time but now that his bandages were covered in dried semen he was slightly worried about his injuries.

Mikado took a well-needed shower, freeing his hands from the crusted bandages to see no ill effects much to his relief. Once he was done, he took a warm washcloth intent on washing Izaya down like the older man had done to him many times when Mikado was tired after sex.

Mikado ran the washcloth over his older lover's naked body, he managed to do it a few times before Izaya groaned, frowning as he woke up. Mikado smiled as Izaya's eyes fluttered open. "You can go back to sleep if you like, I'm just cleaning you up a little." He murmured quietly, Izaya's eyes focused on him and the man smiled.

"Our roles have reversed have they?" he teased his voice sleepy and quiet. Mikado chuckled and continued to clean the man up to the best of his ability. Izaya, now awake just let him. Once Mikado was done, Izaya grabbed his shirt, pulling him down into a sweet kiss.

"Good morning dear."

"Good morning Izaya." Mikado smiled happily, his heart feeling warm and light for the first time in days. He was so grateful to have Izaya even if they had their many problems and secrets, he still loved the man and by some miracle, Izaya loved him back and that was what Mikado had decided to focus on.

"Ughh, I need some painkillers." Izaya groaned rolling over onto his stomach. Mikado nodded, he also wanted some. "We have to eat first, I'll fix up something simple."

Mikado quickly made some cereal and toast, he felt lighter. He didn't know if that was to their sexual escapade the night before or their talk that had lifted some of the weight from his shoulders. He wasn't certain but he was going to thank both.

He handed the food to Izaya who was still incredibly sleepy, and in Mikado's view, adorable. The teen leaned over, unable to help himself as he kissed Izaya's forehead.

"I love you." He smiled, his eyes burning with emotion. Izaya smiled back, his red eyes beaming with adoration,

"I love you too."

He sat next to the man in bed, a smile on his face, his heart finally at ease for the first time in weeks, perhaps even months. As they ate, Mikado thought.

 _There are only a few days until I have to go back to school. I'll have to leave Izaya alone here and return to school as if nothing had happened over Golden Week._ Mikado thought conflicted, he knew there was no way that he could skip school without his parents finding out. The school would ring them to question his absence as he was still technically under their care.

Mikado felt a bit bitter about that, he'd wish his parents would let him be independent but there was no doubt in the teen's mind that his allowance would stop dead in its tracks if he became independent and also would the payment of his school fees. His father was like that after all.

He hated Mikado after all.

The teen shook his head away from the thought of his less than supportive parents and back to the things that really mattered.

 _Izaya will no doubt jump right into finding the man who stabbed him once I start school, hopefully, I can still look after him when I come home._ The teen quietly sighed before taking his painkillers, he had to make sure he finished all his homework first.

The best way to counter his appearance right now was to still act like a model student, if anyone asked he would tell them that he tried to help a bunch of girls being harassed by thugs and got beaten up. After all, it wasn't far from the truth.

 _That's right…one of those girls knew my name. She probably goes to my school. She'll be able to back up my story…though I don't know who it was…I don't really take notice of people that much unless I have to._ Mikado shrugged, his teachers would probably believe him anyway. Mikado had always acted like such a good boy and he wasn't about to stop now, even if he was leading a gang or two.

Mikado collected the dirty dishes and smiled at Izaya who had laid back down to go to sleep. "Get some rest." Mikado smiled, kissing the man on the lips. "I'll be in the lounge room doing my homework."

"Alright…" Izaya said his eyes already slipping close.

_He must be exhausted but with how hard we went last night, or rather how hard he went…he did all the work after all – I don't blame him for being tired._

Mikado smiled as he left the room before narrowing his eyes.

_Actually, I guess I should check up on the Dollars…make sure everyone is behaving themselves after what happened._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!  
> The hiatus ended up going for much longer than I expected but I guess that's life! Updates still might be a little irregular as my life is crazy hectic right now but I love writing and uploading so here I am with a chapter of smut nonetheless.  
> Thank you all for your patience! ^_^


	33. Psychopath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado's healing fast, Izaya's worried and the Blue Squares aren't taking orders seriously.

Mikado hissed slightly as he peeled off his plasters, a majority of his wounds had healed enough that he could take off his band-aids. It seems much to his luck that he was not only resilient but also fast healing. A lot of them seemed like they would heal without a trace but the cut over his eyebrow which was still held closed by closure strips was bright pink and protruded from his skin telling him it was definitely going to scar.

 _Hm…don't I know someone with a scar like that?_ The teen thought as he undid the bandages around his hands frowning when he saw signs of what would soon be scarring.

 _I really tore my hands up…_ Mikado thought worriedly,  _hopefully, this won't ruin my model student image. I think all my hard work would go down the drain if I became covered in scars like some sort of thug._

Mikado touched his ribs with a sigh. Painkillers were taking most of the pain away much to the teen's relief. He read online that it could take up to six weeks for his cracked ribs to heal…he really didn't have that sort of time and it worried him.

He was stressed, it was clear to see. The teen met his eyes in the mirror, they were cold and hard – completely different from how they usually were. There was no point pretending when he was alone, hell, there was no point pretending when he was home at all even with Izaya, the man had already seen his true nature.

The cold and calculating self he'd kept hidden for so long because his parents had told him too, they had called him a freak, told him that he should like other children, so he did. He did for so long that he felt like he was going insane. And though his mother had fooled herself into thinking that Mikado was a normal boy, his father knew better.

A psychopath, that's what his father always spat.

Though Mikado was unable to determine if he was a psychopath, surely not as he felt empathy, he was emotional and he had people he cared about. But he couldn't fully deny all of the traits, he was dishonest, he was reckless, narcissistic and manipulative but so was Izaya…and many of the other people he knew.

He'd never know however, his father would never spend money to take Mikado anywhere let alone to a doctor. Tatsuya, Mikado's father would never spend money unless it was on himself. His logic was that he made the money so it was his, he gave Mikado's mother a tiny allowance to buy food and beat her if she asked for more. The only reason Tatsuya had agreed to let Mikado move to Ikebukuro was basically so he wouldn't be part of their lives anymore. His father was paying him to stay away.

Mikado could feel himself getting angrier and angrier thinking about his father, the teen hated him with a passion and hoped that one day he'd be able to earn enough money that his mother would be able to escape the abusive man she married.

Honestly, if anyone was a psychopath it was Ryugamine Tatsuya.

Mikado shook his head free of the thoughts of his family and took a deep breath, sternly looking at himself in the mirror. "I have to get to work."

The Dollars forum had been going crazy the night before with reports of a small group dressed in blue stalking the streets and causing trouble. So he knew that a not so friendly visit to Aoba was in order as it seemed the younger teen didn't get his message through the phone.

He'd have to enforce it in person.

Mikado dressed casually and left the bathroom finding Izaya curled up on the sectional sofa with his laptop and various phones obviously working to find Yodogiri.

"Izaya, I'm going out," Mikado announced. The fact he was announcing it was a sure sign to inform the older man that he wasn't just going to get groceries but rather something that Izaya should know about.

"Where are you going?" Izaya his voice layered with curiosity and concern as he turned to face the teen.

"I'm going to call a meeting with the Blue Squares, it seems they can't follow instructions so I'm going to give them a bit more encouragement." Mikado narrowed his eyes with a cold smile. Izaya frowned before he stood up. The teen looked at him curiously wondering if that man was going to stop him as he walked around the sofa until he was in front of the teen.

"Let me give you something first." Izaya smiled, Mikado blinked as his lover took his hand and led him upstairs. Mikado couldn't think of anything the older man would have to give him but he followed him wanting to find out. The older man led him into the walk-in wardrobe of the master bedroom.

Mikado watched curiously as Izaya pushed aside his collection of parkas to reveal something the teen had never noticed before – a sizable built-in safe. The teen respectively looked away as Izaya punched in the code and opened it.

It was rather big and deep inside full of multiple suitcases, it honestly looked like something out of a movie and Mikado was stunned at the sight.  _It's times like this I realise that Izaya really is someone amazing, all these suitcases are bound to have beyond interesting information. I wonder what they are…_

Izaya seemed to find the suitcase he wanted and pulled it out. Mikado followed the man into the bedroom where he set down the suitcase on the bed.

 _Wait, that's not a suitcase…that's literally another safe._ Mikado had seen this type before, his parents had one. It was where they kept important illegal forms like birth certificates and passports.  _Izaya has safes inside his safe….I don't know if that's just excessive or kind of impressive._ Mikado thought to himself as Izaya retrieved as a key from under the bed frame.

 _He has things hidden everywhere….knives, keys, lube…doesn't he ever run out of places to hide things?_ Mikado watched as Izaya unlocked the safe to reveal a nicely lined box that housed none other than his knife collection.

Mikado's jaw went lack as he stared in amazement at the sheer number of blades his lover owned. The teen looked at Izaya and blinked. The man had a happy smile on his face as if he was happy just looking at his collection, running his fingers over their handles like they were something precious, Mikado guessed to him, they were but he was more focused on the giant pocket knife taking up one of the sections. It was closed like a switchblade but even then the teen could tell that opened, it would probably be the size of his forearm, it was fascinating.

Mikado tilted his head as Izaya seeming found what he was looking for, pulling out a protective bag from the case, opening it to reveal a black folded knife, it looked tactical with all the bits and pieces but then again, Mikado had no idea, he knew nothing about knives.

Mikado looked in awe as Izaya opened the knife with a quick flick of his wrist. The teen didn't think he'd ever be able to handle how attractive Izaya was with a knife, so skilled, dangerous and sexy…Mikado pushed the thoughts from his mind and focused on the solid black knife in front of him.

It was about ten centimeters long and very sleek looking, just looking at it reminded him of Izaya, black like the man's clothes, slim, sleek and dangerous. It was beautiful, the teen had never imagined he'd feel that way about a pocket knife but there he was.

"Do you like it?" Izaya smirked and the teen blushed slightly, realizing he was staring at the blade like a dumbstruck fool. "Here, be careful, it's extremely sharp." Izaya carefully handed the teen the knife and Mikado held it in his hands. It was lighter than it looked which surprised him.

"The handle is made of carbon fiber and titanium making it lightweight and the blade is made from CPM S35VN steel which makes it super strong," Izaya explained, speaking quickly in his excitement. Mikado nodded like he had any idea what the man was talking about. It was nice to see Izaya so passionate about something, from the way he spoke and his red eyes lit up it was clear how much Izaya liked knives.

Mikado listened carefully as his lover explained the knife to him from the pocket clip to the lock and the opening button. "I realized that I might have brought you a knife to defend yourself with but I never taught you how to use one. Most people think knives are easy weapons which isn't true, if you use a knife incorrectly it's no better than a sharp stick, it's practically useless in a serious fight." Izaya explained, shaking his head in disappointment as he walked behind the teen. Mikado looked at the knife in his head with a frown, he understood where the man was coming from. Though he'd had a knife during the fight the other day, he was completely clueless on using it, making it useless.

"So, I'm going to teach you how you to use a knife, starting with your stance." Mikado jumped slightly in surprise when Izaya's hands rested on his hips. "It's a cram session, so pay attention okay?" the man smirked.

Mikado shivered slightly at Izaya's low tone of voice, "Yes, Izaya."

Mikado moved quickly, slashing the air with the knife, they had been going at for about an hour. When they had begun Mikado was awful, too afraid of cutting himself with the knife but now he was a bit better.

Izaya had shown him how to move, how to position his feet which wasn't all that different what he'd learnt in boxing which allowed him to pick it up quickly. Izaya explained that the knife was an extension of his hand, he had to move as if he wasn't afraid of hurting himself because the more hesitant he was, the higher chance there was that he would make an actual mistake.

Mikado had indeed nicked himself a few times with the knife but nothing major. Izaya watched him from where he sat on the bed. Mikado could feel his ribs protesting with every sudden movement but he ignored it, going until he could confidently and swiftly use the knife to a small extent, he was sure he could use it unlike before. He wasn't nearly as good as Izaya but then again the man's skills were almost inhuman when it came to how fast and precise he was with a blade.

"Alright babe, you did really well. It probably wasn't a good idea to do with when you're injured but if you're going to put yourself among the Blue Squares, you need something to fall back on. They fight dirty after all." Izaya said as he wrapped his arms around the teen's waist, resting his chin on Mikado's shoulder.

The teen closed the knife, locking it so it wouldn't open in his pocket. "I know, thank you Izaya." Mikado rested his head on his older lover's and they shared a silent but tender moment.

"You be careful around those vultures, they're just looking for a chance to overthrow you." Izaya murmured into the teen's neck. Mikado reached up, wrapping his arm around the man's head in a sort of hug.

"I know, I won't let it happen though." The teen reassured the man, "I'm sure I can handle them pretty well. I just need to control Aoba who already seems overly willing to do whatever I want to."

"What do you mean?" Izaya asked quietly and Mikado frowned.  _I'm not sure if I should tell him about Aboa's fascination with me. There's a chance that Izaya will get jealous and want to stomp out Aoba right away but…we did agree on no secrets._

"To put it simply, he's obsessed with me…he's obviously an extreme masochist, so with me treating him like garbage it made him yearn after to me. It's disgusting but it's a good way of controlling him. I can openly show how much I hate him and inflict pain on him but it only makes his submission stronger." Mikado turned to Izaya, wrapping his arms around his neck, the older man's expression was unreadable.

"Are you upset?" the teen asked concerned looking into the man's eyes. Izaya sighed, closing his eyes for a second before he spoke.

"A little, it's a great way to control that little shit but that fact that he's getting off on anything about you makes me mad… if he ever tries anything, I won't hesitate to destroy him. You're mine and no one else is allowed to touch you."

"I know, don't worry. I'll kill him myself if he tries to touch me." Mikado smiled, "I only want you, I would never let anyone else touch me in that way." He said certainly with warm eyes. Izaya smiled happily and kissed the teen.

Mikado melted into the man's touch, they kissed for some time before the teen pulled away, licking his lips with a satisfied expression. "I love you Mikado." Izaya murmured, resting his forehead on Mikado's.

"I love you too Izaya." He said, his heart swelling warmly with emotion.

They pulled apart and Mikado got ready to leave. He rewrapped his hands just in case he needed to use them. If the Blue Squares were going to play up and try something funny then the teen would just take it out on Aoba, the smaller teen wouldn't protest and it had scared the Blue Squares enough last time so it would most likely work again.

Mikado could tell Izaya was worried, his brow was furrowed and his eyes followed the teen anxiously. The teen took out his decoy phone and turned it on for the first time in a few days and rang Aoba. Mikado walked up to the sofa as it rang, running his fingers through Izaya's hair to relax him.

After what seemed like forever, Aoba picked up the phone. "Senpai!" the small teen greeted excitedly, though he sounded slightly out of breath. The teen didn't think much of it, perhaps he'd ran to answer the phone.

"Hello Kuronuma-kun, I was wondering if you could call a meeting for the Blue Squares for me," Mikado said with a fake friendly tone. From the other side of the phone Mikado could near someone grumbling, he strained his ears to hear it and raised his eyebrows as he heard the rustling of sheets and the creak of a bed.

Aoba was with someone and they were hissing back and forth. From what the teen could gather he'd interrupted them in the middle of sex. Mikado didn't actually think Aoba was sleeping around but piecing things together, it seemed it was true. While being disgusted at the concept of the younger teen having sex, Mikado was a little impressed. Aoba somehow had managed to become the complete and utter opposite of his appearance.

Innocent child-like looking but really a cunning little slut.  _You really can't judge by appearances, can you?_ He thought wryly.

"Of course I can do that senpai!" Aoba replied to the teen's question eagerly.

"Great. Do you think you can do it in an hour? Or is that not long enough?" Mikado asked knowing that Aoba would want to please him.

"I can do it in an hour!" Aoba said cheerfully, "I'll see you soon Mikado-senpai!" Mikado ended the call without replying, resting his chin on Izaya's head with a sigh.

"I guess I better head off then." The teen mumbled not really wanting to leave the comfort that Izaya gave him.

Mikado carefully pulled on his boots and touched his waist where the new knife Izaya had given him was hidden. The teen looked up at his lover who stood at the entrance.

"You be careful alright, and come home safe." Izaya insisted and Mikado smiled.

"I will, don't worry." They shared a sweet kiss and a hug before Mikado wished his older lover goodbye as he headed out towards Ikebukuro.

_It's strange, it's almost like our roles have been replaced, no instead of me worrying – it's Izaya. I used to stress thinking about what Izaya was doing and if he was okay. It's so weird how things can change so quickly but…things are changing for the better, right?_

Mikado shook the thoughts from his mind as he left Izaya's building through a side door in the alleyway, slipping through the shadows of quiet side streets and laneways before reaching the train station.

He took a deep breath before boarding a train to Ikebukuro, he had to get his thoughts together. He couldn't afford to lose focus surrounded by a bunch of bloodthirsty sharks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life should be back to normal now so I can start uploading on the regular schedule once more!  
> Sorry about the wait everyone!


	34. Swimming With Sharks

The warehouse was still lifeless and empty when Mikado arrived, granted he did arrive slightly early. He walked around the outside looking at the junk that had been abandoned there. There were tall stacks of wooden pallets, rusted car bodies and scrap heaps.

It had obviously been abandoned by its owner, there was no one looking after it. As he walked he could see rats running away and bugs scrambling over things – it was disgusting.  _But wait…last year during the Yellow Scarves incident, the door was broken, in fact, it was in half, I'm guessing that was Saika's work. But if this place was neglected and abandoned as it seemed… then who welded the door back together and put it back up?_ He thought suspiciously, it was odd, to say the least, and he knew having realised that, he'd need to find a new base for the Blue Squares, this warehouse obviously wasn't as abandoned as it seemed.

Mikado continued to walk, pausing when he saw yellow graffiti on a bent steel support beam. "The blue sky has fallen." He read aloud and snorted. Apparently, it was out of an anime which was funny considering how serious things had gotten. It was no doubt from the time where the Yellow Scarves and Blue Squares had been at war before Mikado had come to Ikebukuro.

 _Has it really fallen though?_ He thought, his mind went to Masaomi. All the things the other teen had done, things he'd hidden from Mikado.  _I wonder what he would think of me right now? Attacking people, getting in fights and taking charge of the Blue Squares...all that and having a relationship with Izaya, having sex with Izaya and doing all kinds of nasty things._

_He'd probably be furious, he'd probably think that it was all Izaya's evil plot to ruin his life. Masaomi would no doubt tell me how this isn't me, that shouldn't be involved in this sort of stuff and that this life wasn't for me._

_But I've been playing this game for just as long as he has, I was just playing it from the shadows._

Mikado clicked his tongue, the thought of his old friend irritating him, though Mikado had called him his best friend, they hadn't known each other. It was arrogant for them to think neither of them had changed since elementary school.

 _We were both hiding our true selves… but the only difference being that I've been hiding my true self for a long, long time. I wonder when I became like this? Perhaps I was like this all along, I did push that kid off the playground when no one was looking…_ Mikado frowned as he thought of something he'd pushed deep down.

When Mikado was seven, his mother took him to the playground. It was strangely empty with only a few kids playing, there was one Mikado knew from school. Mikado had always been a quiet child, easily picked on. So the kid took to bullying Mikado as he tried to play. On the top of the playground, where the large slide was - Mikado pushed the kid off the top.

He fell and didn't get back up. Mikado screamed and cried saying that the kid fell as he was loaded into an ambulance. Mikado found out later that the kid had landed very wrongly on his head, breaking his neck which left him completely brain dead with next to no brain activity.

His parents took him off life support and he died shortly after the incident.

Mikado had killed that child and he never felt a single moment of remorse, the kid was a menace, an absolute nightmare, he was bad so Mikado never felt guilty though he knew he should have. It was probably that moment when he realised that he wasn't like other children and decided that he'd have to act like one so no one would ever find out what he'd done.

He'd obviously never told anyone about it nor would he ever. He'd go down as the poor child that saw the other fall to his death whilst they were playing.

Mikado looked up at the graffiti once more and kicked the beam. The teen knew that when Masaomi came back, which he undoubtedly would, he'd try and stop Mikado. "I won't let anyone stop me." He muttered darkly. "I'm finally free…so even if Masaomi does try to stop me…I'll just have to push him down too." He narrowed his eyes.

_That's right…I won't let anyone stop me._

Mikado hummed quietly as he cleaned his nails with the knife Izaya had given him, there was something to entertaining to him about doing something mundane with something dangerous. He used the back of his blade to clean the dried blood and cum from underneath his long nails, there was no doubt in his mind that he could accidentally cut off his fingertip if he slipped.

He stopped when he heard a car pull up, he tucked the knife back in its holder on his waist and tilted his head. He could make out Aoba yelling rather angrily along with some bickering as the teen yawned as he got out his phone and scrolled through the Dollars forum as he waited for Aoba and his goons to come inside the warehouse.

He was sitting on the raised platform, the stage which held one of the dirtiest sofas the teen had ever seen, he knew that Masaomi probably used to sit there as the leader of the Yellow Scarves but Mikado couldn't bring himself to sit there. No, because it was where his old friend once sat but rather because it was so utterly filthy looking at it made his skin crawl, there was no way he'd sit there, he had standards after all.

The door of the warehouse opened with a loud metal sound but Mikado didn't look up – well, to anyone it would appear that he didn't but he watched the Blue Squares spill inside, Aoba all but running towards Mikado as the other members shuffled, hissing and whispering as they glanced at Mikado with snide smiles.

Aoba looked flawlessly confident like Mikado was no threat at all. "Sorry, we're late Senpai! How are you feeling?" the small teen asked with a friendly bright smile. Mikado slipped his phone back into his pocket and returned the smile.

"Not at all Kuronuma-kun, I just got here early. I'm doing well thank you, but it's been a tad boring staying home while recovering." Mikado said with a carefree smile. He looked over the group, it was back to its full capacity of around fifty members. Other who had been there the night he'd stabbed Aoba looked a bit uneasy whilst the rest seemed to be bad mouthing him as they laughed.

"I'm so sorry for calling you all here on such short notice." He addressed the group with a nice smile "I wanted to ask you all something." He looked down at Aoba who nodded eagerly probably thinking that Mikado was going to give them orders but that wasn't quite what he had in mind.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mikado's voice changed so suddenly completely changed the mood of the warehouse. He narrowed his eyes as he watched a small group become alarmed whilst the others looked confused or amused.

Mikado's keen eyes didn't miss the shiver that went through Aoba body nor how utterly delighted he looked by Mikado's tone but his voice was full of honest confusion when he spoke, "What do you mean Mikado-senpai?"

Mikado smiled happily though it didn't reach his cold, sharp eyes. "I clearly told you to lie low so we wouldn't have the police or yakuza riding our asses after that mess the other day and what do I go on the Dollars website to see? Photos of you guys walking around flaunting your blue bullshit all over the city." The teen's voice was flat and obviously annoyed.

"What?" Aoba looked confused as he stared up at the teen with wide eyes. "No way, Mikado-senpai, we did as you asked." The small boy protested, his brow furrowed in disbelief. Mikado clicked his tongue once more and worked quickly to load the post up on his decoy phone. He threw it to the small teen who scrambled to catch it, his eyes darted side to side as he read the post, staring at the photos for a moment.

"What the hell?" Aoba growled looking more furious and stormy than Mikado did. He turned to the Blue Squares, eyes sharp. "Who did this!? Come forward right now?" the small boy yelled angrily. Mikado watched him in amusement before his eyes turned to the crowd.

Despite Aoba's orders and yelling, no one came forward which wasn't surprising but a group near the back caught Mikado's eye. They looked incredibly nervous and suspicious – they were screaming guilty. The teen saw that Aoba was also looking in their direction with a furious expression.

Mikado sighed and jumped off the stage, walking over to Aoba, putting his hand on the teen's shoulder and leaning into his ear, ignoring the slight blush that spread over the boy's cheeks. "Get your men in order Aoba-kun. You're no use to me if they're rouge." His grip on Aoba's shoulder tightened, his fingers digging into the dip of his shoulder and collarbone.

"You should know that the Blue Squares are on the Awakusu-Kai radar more than other colour gangs…" Mikado said lowly, his eyes narrowed. "Wise up or get lost." He spat, the small teen was trembling under his hand whether it was from pain, anger or lust, Mikado didn't know nor really care.

Mikado stepped back from Aoba taking back his phone that was still in his hand, a friendly smile now plastered on his face with no trace of the cold, intimidating leader he was a second before. "Just keep that in mind, okay Kuronuma-kun?" he said sweetly before turning back to the group.

"Please lie low, we don't want to get in trouble with the police or yakuza because it will be all over if we do that." He told the rest of the group, he could see a few nodding. "Thank you all for coming at such short notice, I actually have to go now but I'm sure Kuronuma-kun will have a few words to say."

Mikado easily left the warehouse, closing the door behind him. He was barely a couple feet away when he could hear Aoba yelling, telling his loyal members to grab those who disobeyed him.

The teen knew that it was dangerous to be playing with the Blue Squares like he was but he only really needed to control Aoba who in turn controlled the rest of the group. He knew that Aoba's goal was to take over the Dollars so had to stay on guard as Aoba submissiveness may just be an act to throw him off but then again, Aoba did have an erection after Mikado's stabbed him so it was obvious he was a true masochist.

But in the end, if something happened to Aoba or he decided to turn around and betray Mikado, the group would probably brutally incapacitate Mikado and take control of the Dollars by force. Luckily, Mikado never left himself logged in as the admin on any of his devices so they couldn't  _actually_ take his position.

Mikado sighed as he made his way to the train station, looking up at the now cloudy grey sky.

He was playing a truly dangerous game but then again, nothing good ever happened by playing it safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter seems short but the previous ones have been longer than usual


	35. Thanks...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” - Flannery O'Connor

Mikado dried his hair with his towel, a few days had passed since his meeting with the Blue Squares, Golden week was completely over and today, it was time to go back to school. Most of his wounds had already healed leaving only the more serious injuries and some yellowish bruising. His hands were still rather pink and raw looking but no longer hurt as much.

Mikado sighed as he walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, Izaya sat on the bed in his pajamas, watching him as he got dressed. Mikado smiled, sometimes Izaya really reminded him of a housecat and it was utterly adorable. The night before the older man had expressed his displeasure over Mikado going back to school.

"I still think you should stay home, didn't you say that Shinra told you to rest because of your ribs?" Izaya frowned as Mikado did up his tie in the mirror.

"I know. But we both know it will be more suspicious if I don't go to school." Mikado gave the older man a small smile walking over to the bed.

"Mhm, but don't you want to stay here with me?" Izaya purred. Mikado blushed and ducked his head.  _He knows me too well, after the other night…_  The man wrapped his arms around the teen. Mikado let his head be turned before he met Izaya's lips in a kiss. Mikado sighed and shivered as Izaya's tongue invaded his mouth. It didn't take long before their kisses became more passionate, small moans escaped his throat without his permission.

Mikado knew what Izaya was doing but he also found it so hard to resist. Mikado reluctantly pulled back but that didn't deter his lover, Izaya attacked his neck with kissing making Mikado moan. "You're so unfair." He breathed becoming aroused from his lover attacking his weak spot, Izaya just smirked into his neck knowing all too well that he'd gotten his way.

"I'm gonna be late!" Mikado panicked pulling on his jeans and fixing his shirt. Izaya laid on the bed, completely naked with a smug smile, no doubt happy that he delayed Mikado from leaving. The teen didn't know someone could look so proud of themselves with cum in their hair but the older man more than managed.

"You should just stay home." He teased and Mikado shook his head with an exasperated smile.

"Whose fault is it that I'm already late?" he laughed, standing up and shrugging on his blazer and doing up his tie. "We both know it's best if I go to school no matter how much I want to stay here with you." Mikado smiled at the man affectionately. "Seriously though, the last thing we need is for my parents to start snooping around after the school rings them to report my absence."

"I forgot that you're still under your parent's guardianship." Izaya blinked and Mikado sighed.

"Yeah." He packed his things into his school bag, averting his eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was to talk about his parents right now. They obviously still had a lot to talk about but it would have to wait.

"Alright, I'm off. Please try and relax." Mikado smiled, staring down at Izaya before leaning down to kiss the older man.

"Mhm, I'll do my best." He smiled, relaxing into the mattress. Mikado knew that the man would launch into work as soon as he turned his back so he just sighed with a smile and said his goodbyes before he hurried off not looking forward to the consequences of being so late for school on the first day back from Golden week.

* * *

 

"Wait! Wait please!" Mikado frantically called to the teacher that was closing the front gate. They stopped, glaring at Mikado.

"You're fifteen minutes late." The man looked Mikado up and down, turning his nose up. Mikado could feel his irritation rising, he hated being looked down upon no matter what the circumstances.

"I'm sorry sir, the trains were running late." Mikado lied. The man rolled his eyes probably having heard that excuse a million times before.

"Sure." The man clicked his tongue, "What's your name and class?" Mikado told the man his details and got handed a detention slip.

 _Goddamnit._ Mikado thought hurriedly changing his shoes _. Why can't I resist Izaya? Ah…who am I kidding? Like I'd want to._ Mikado smiled thinking about earlier.  _I'll really have to repay Izaya when I get better._

Mikado hurried to his classroom as much as he could with the pain in his body, being so late the teen was unable to eat hence unable to take his painkillers but luckily he'd thrown some in his bag before leaving the house. He reached the door of his classroom, taking a deep breath as he calmed his expression back into the sheepish, model student mask he'd left behind for the last few days.

He quietly opened the door, peeking through. His homeroom teacher, Takanashi-sensei who was a small older man with classes was a kind teacher most of the time but could also be snappy depending on his mood.

"Ah, Ryugamine-kun. Thank you for joining us." The man said drawing the entire classes' attention towards that teen who silently cursed that man.

"Sorry Sensei." Mikado ducked his head sheepishly, hurrying to his seat. He could feel Anri's eyes on him, she looked concerned to say the least. A lot of people were looking at him questioningly, he'd never been late before. He'd be lying to say that he hadn't slept in and rushed to school but never actually late and covered in half-healed injuries too.

Mikado sat down and got settled as homeroom ended and the first period began. School went on like usual, the teen found it all too easy and stared out the window worrying about Izaya.

As lunch came, the girl in front of him, Satome Koharu turned around with her eyebrows raised. "Jeez Ryu-kun, you were late and you're covered in bruises!" she exclaimed as the rest of the girls gathered around, with everything that had happened he'd practically forgotten about them.

Mikado rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "W-well some things happened." He said lamely.

"Are you alright Mikado-kun?" Anri asked, her brows furrowed in concern. Mikado smiled at her,

"Yeah, I'm alright. It looks worse than it really is." He reassured them all with a smile.

"Um, excuse me." A voice interrupted their conversation. The group turned to see another girl from their class with brown pigtails, "I was wondering if I could talk to you Ryugamine-kun."

"Um, sure." Mikado nodded, looking confused. He had no idea why the girl wanted to speak to him. He stood up, following the girl out of the classroom and up to the quiet rooftop. Somewhere in his mind, he had to wonder if he was doing to be confessed to which would kind of be funny to him seeming he was not only gay but was the partner of one of the most notorious men in the city.

Once they were alone the girl bowed deeply. "Thank you for saving me and my friends the other day! I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't stepped in." she exclaimed and it all made sense. This was the girl that knew him, she was the girl who saw him get in that fight.

"O-oh, it's no problem. I feel bad because I wasn't able to help everyone. I'm glad that others stepped in to help as well." Mikado said quietly with a smile. The girl shook her head,

"What you did was amazing. You helped us a lot. Those injuries…are they from the fight?" the girl asked with a slight frown. The girl's face was a little emotionless, her expressions were subtle and it made the teen a little uncomfortable.

"Yeah… but it's okay!" he insisted with a smile. "There was no helping it, I don't really know how to fight. I just do it for fitness sometimes so I was bound to get my butt kicked." He laughed nervously. "But I couldn't stand by and do nothing either." The teen said honestly. "Are all of your friends okay? What happened to them was so terrible." He said regrettably.

"We were all a bit shaken up but we're all fine." The girl said with a smile. It was a huge weight of Mikado's shoulders to hear that, he hadn't even known that he was worried about that but now he knew that what happened didn't traumatize any of the innocent girls, he was so relieved.

"Um, I'm really sorry but I kind of have to go…I need to buy my lunch." Mikado awkwardly said after a moment of small talk. He found out that the girls name Rio and that she was also in his class the year before.

"Wait, Ryuugamine-kun," Rio said as he started to walk away. The teen paused. "The person who sent out that message about us - Nakura, have you ever talked to him?" she asked quietly as if she was worried.

Mikado felt his stomach drop, he knew that name too well. After all, Izaya had told him that was his alias. The teen could wish it was another person but deep down he knew that it was Izaya who sent out that message. He could feel his heart-searing in his chest, it was so painful to know that Izaya would do such a thing knowing what it would do to Mikado.

"No, I don't think I have. Why?" Mikado lied not looking back at Rio. The girl was silent for a moment,

"I just wanted to make sure, I've met him before…just…don't talk to him if he ever contacts you okay?" Rio said quietly, Mikado turned his head and gave her a fake smile.

"Alright then. I better go now."

The teen's mind was a mess as he walked down the stairs. He had told himself that he wanted to embrace all of Izaya but knowing that his lover had been the one who basically told people to kidnap the group of girls left him feeling like he'd been betrayed once again.

Mikado leaned on the wall in an empty corridor, putting his head in his hands.  _I don't understand, why would Izaya so such a thing? Surely he would have known how much it would have badly affected me if those girls hadn't been saved? Would he have cared if those girls had been beaten and raped like those guys were talking about when I was fighting them?_

_Why?_

_Why?_

_Why do you cause me so much pain Izaya?_

_I don't understand why you do these things to me…_

Mikado went through the rest of the day kind of dazed, he barely reacted when Izaya's sisters joined their table at lunch, their eyes firmly planted on him. He didn't even shrug Aoba off when he grabbed his arm and pushed his body close to Mikado whilst they ate.

The teen's mind was stuck deep in a dark place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think of using quotes and song lyrics as chapter summaries? Is it too cheesy? Cringy? I really like it but I'd like some opinions...


	36. Approval

He didn't pay attention in class, he didn't take notes either. The only time he paid attention was when the teacher asked him a question in an attempt to shame him but Mikado was able to answer it correctly anyway - the perks of being smart. It was a common occurrence with how often he daydreamed, he would have thought they would have learned their lesson by now.

Soon the end of school bell rang and Mikado didn't know what to do, he'd been thinking it over in his mind but he didn't know how to talk to Izaya about what he'd done, he didn't understand it and he doubted that Izaya had an answer that would satisfy him.

Izaya had probably just done it to add more fuel to the fire, make more chaos whilst the city was already in turmoil. Izaya seemed to only want to make more drama, stir the pot for the sake of it. Which Mikado understood, he also loved entertaining things and hated when things got boring.

Izaya's actions were just a more intense version of that. As Izaya had said on the night of the Dollars meeting, you had to consistently evolve so things won't grow dull. Mikado shook his head, he'd just have to let it go but not bottle it up.

He'd bring it up to Izaya when he got home and they could talk about it. Mikado could tell Izaya that it upset him and the man would try to explain his reasoning. It would have to do, Mikado couldn't expect someone else to have the same mindset as him all the time.

The teen sighed and stood up, realising that he had detention. Mikado's eyes widened realising that if he wasn't quick, he would be late. The teen rushed to the detention room, making it just in time. He handed the teacher his slip before looking around to find a seat. To his surprise, he saw not only Aoba but Izaya's sisters in the room.

Mikado purposely took a seat away from them knowing that Aoba would no doubt try and talk to him, getting them in more trouble. Detention at Raira consisted of sitting in the room for an hour writing an essay about why you were there and apologising for your actions.

 _This is way too easy. I'm definitely going to be finished before the hour._ Mikado thought as he wrote his essay. He tried to make it as long as possible and as well written so he could to fill in more time. He didn't want to be sitting there in dead silence for a long period of time.

Once he was done, he looked around the room accidentally catching the eye of Aoba who was staring at him. The smaller teen smirked when their eyes met as if trying to tell him something that Mikado was sure he didn't want to know about.

The teen looked away and decided that he'd work on his homework whilst he waited. Mikado sighed when he realised he'd forgotten one of his textbooks that he needed for his Literature homework.

 _I'll have to go back to the classroom and get it when this is over._ He thought as he decided to do homework from another class to fill in time. It didn't seem to take as long when he was busy as the teacher soon dismissed them and Mikado quickly packed up his things and rushed out the door hoping he could avoid Aoba.

As he walked back to the classroom he could sense someone following him but kept his head forward. As he opened the door to his classroom and turned around coming face to face with Mairu and Kururi, Izaya's younger twin sisters, not the small boy he was expecting.

Mikado blinked at the shorter girls. "Uh, can I help you?" the two girls stepped forward making the teen step back into the classroom. Mairu shut the door as Kururi got really close to Mikado, staring at him with judging eyes that were a familiar rust colour.

Mairu walked up to him and they stared at him for some time whilst Mikado stood there awkwardly. A million thoughts went through his mind.  _Why do they look like they're gonna beat me up?_ _Did they find out about me and Izaya? Aoba was talking to them before, did he tell them what I did to him? Are they friends or something? God, I wish they would stop looking at me like that, they look so much like Izaya it's freaking me out._

Finally after what felt like forever Mairu spoke up demandingly, "What's your relationship with Iza-nii?"

Time seemed to stand still as Mikado stood there completely still, he opened his mouth but soon closed it. He didn't know what to say or what to do. Should he tell the truth? Should he deny it? He knew from Izaya that the twins weren't something to mess around with but he also knew they weren't good at keeping secrets. He decided to play dumb.

"Iza-nii?" he echoed confused, his brow furrowing.

"Yeah! Izaya-nii!" Mairu exclaimed obviously a little annoyed. Kururi beside her nodded.

"Oh! I was confused for a moment. Izaya-san and I are friends. I didn't know you two were his sisters, no wonder you guys looked familiar." Mikado said with a bright smile.

"Snake..." Kururi murmured and Mairu grinned menacingly,

"You're lying. We saw you go into Izaya's apartment and he doesn't let anyone in there. Plus, Iza-nii doesn't have any friends!"

Mikado snorted at that, it was just too funny to hear her affirmatively saying that Izaya had no friends. "I'm sorry to disappoint but I am close friends with your brother." Mikado smiled. Mairu opened his mouth to talk when Mikado cut her off.

"Why do you care anyway? From what I know you don't like your older brother." The teen raised his eyebrows as the twins glared at him. "It's odd to me that would be concerned with what relationship Izaya-san and I have if you hate him."

Mairu clicked her tongue, "You're just like him aren't you?" she fumed, "Iza-nii doesn't have friends, who would want to be his friend!? He's a shitty person!" the small girl was bouncing all over the place whilst her sister just watched.

Mikado sighed, he didn't know what they wanted from him.  _Are they worried about Izaya? Are they threatening me? If I tell them, will they just tell everyone?_

As he thought he didn't notice that Kururi had gotten really close to him, he flinched back in surprise. "Whoa!"

"You…and Iza-nii…only other thing…that makes sense...lovers?" she said quietly, Mikado didn't know what kind of expression he made but he felt his heart stop and his breath caught in his throat. It was obviously enough of an answer for Kururi because her eyes widened and her mouth opened a bit in shock.

Mikado wanted to deny it but for whatever reason couldn't, he couldn't react like he wasn't in a relationship with Izaya. He couldn't act disgusted or laugh it off. The very notion of doing such a thing made his heartache.

"No way," Mairu uttered, a shocked expression on her face. Mikado gritted his teeth, he didn't know what to do. The braided twin marched towards him, "Are you actually fucking Iza-nii?" she pointed her finger in his face.

 _There's no way I'll be able to get out of this._ Mikado sighed completely dropping his act.

"Well, it's more the other way around but you figured it out nonetheless." Mikado clicked his tongue. "Are you happy now? Though I must say that it's a secret and I urge you to keep it to yourselves."

"Did you just threaten us?" Mairu said as if she was seconds from ripping Mikado's face off. Mikado shook his head,

"I'm not that stupid, though it is a bit of advice. Something tells me Izaya would be quite mad if his sisters were to reveal something he's hidden for so long."

"How long?" Kururi asked quietly.

"Over a year." Mikado admitted speaking just as quietly. "Seriously though guys, this secret could ruin both Izaya and I. What we've been doing is illegal, honestly, so please don't tell anyone."

"Do you love him?" Mairu demanded and Mikado nodded seriously.

"Yes, I do. Very much so."

"You know he does horrible things right? He's not a nice guy at all! He's human trash!" Mairu exclaimed and the teen chuckled and smiled affectionately.

"Yeah, I know, trust me." He couldn't stop the obvious affection from entering his voice. "I won't argue with you there but nonetheless, I love him."

The twins looked at each other and huddled a little bit away from Mikado, whispering to each other. The teen felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he got it out to see a text from none other than Izaya.

 **[Hey babe, are you done with detention yet? I was wondering if you could pick up some more painkillers from Shinra before you came home, we're almost out]** Mikado smiled, he was looking forward to going home and seeing Izaya. They had spent so much time together in the last week that the teen was missing Izaya even more than usual even though he only saw him a few hours ago.

The twins looked up as Mikado texted the older man back. "Is that Iza-nii?" Kururi asked curiously and the older teen nodded. "Are you telling on us?" Mikado smiled at the childish question.

"No, are you worried I would?" he asked, with a smile. The twins shrugged before Mairu stood up tall and pointed at Mikado.

"We've decided that you can date Iza-nii." She announced as if Mikado hasn't already been doing that for the last year and needed their permission to date their twenty-five-year-old brother.

"Thank you?" he tilted his head. Kururi smiled,

"Don't hurt Iza-nii…"

At that moment Mikado realised why exactly the two twins had approached him. They were worried about Izaya. Despite saying they didn't like or care about him, they did. It made sense seeming Izaya had basically raised them. This whole thing was just them wanting to find out Mikado's intentions towards their brother because it was strange to see someone get so close and they were worried.

"I won't. I'm pretty sure Izaya is more likely to hurt me." He said jokingly.

"We won't tell anyone," Mairu said with nod and Mikado thanked her. Kururi grabbed onto his arm which surprised Mikado,

"Mika-nii….no…Mi-nii."

"Mika is that girl's name, so Mi-nii!" Mairu cheered grabbing onto his other arm. It was weird and strange but the teen realised that he'd passed whatever test they had and that they had accepted him.

Mikado smiled, "I just have to get a book from my desk." He said making Kururi let go of his arm so he could reach in but as soon as he did his hand met with a thick liquid.

Jerking his hand back quickly Mikado stared at his hand with wide eyes, "What the hell is this!?" Mikado exclaimed in disgust, seeing his fingers covered in what very much looked like semen.


	37. Clean Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somebody's creeping

Mikado bent down to look inside his desk, there was a large amount of semen covering the inside as if someone had literally cum in his desk multiple times. He stared at it in complete shock before reeling back in disgust.

"What the fuck?" he almost fell over in his desperate attempt to get away. He stood there in shock, it looked like semen, it felt like semen and it smelt like semen. Why the hell was there cum in his desk?

"Mi-nii? What's wrong?" Mairu tilted her head and Mikado looked at the two twins with a frown. They were a year younger than him but Izaya had said that they were both very perverted.

"I think someone jacked off in my desk." He admitted honestly, the two girls blinked.

"What? Seriously?" Mairu crouched down to look inside and Kururi shook her head.

"You've never seen it before…" she murmured, "You wouldn't know."

 _What am I even meant to do? Why the hell would someone do this? Who would do this!? All my books are covered in it! It's so disgusting!_ Mikado thought.  _Should I go to the teachers? No, they'll probably either brush it off or see me as the main suspect._

_The only person I can think to do this would be Aoba but he was in detention the entire time with me and I came straight here afterward so there's no way he could have done it, there would have been no time…but I can't think of anyone else who would do such a thing…_

"I need to wash my hands," Mikado said turning and walking to the bathroom thinking as he walked quickly, wanting to get the vile fluid off his hand, the fact his desk was covered in it let alone the fact it was in his hand made him feel violently ill.

He hurried into the bathroom, knowing all well that the twins were following him closely behind, probably out of curiosity. "You guys shouldn't come in here, it's the men's bathroom." He told them furiously washing his hand with soap.

"No one is here anyway. Plus, this is insane! Who the hell blows their load in someone's desk? It's super weird and freaky." Mairu exclaimed waving her arms about.

"Gross." Kururi agreed with a nod.

Mikado couldn't disagree there. "You guys can go home, you don't have to wait around for me." He gave them a grateful smile, "I'll probably be here a while trying to figure out how to clean up that disgusting mess." Mikado shuddered at the thought.

"Well...actually, we wanted to go visit Iza-nii," Mairu admitted a bit quieter. Mikado looked up from washing his hands and smiled at the twins.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He sighed. "I should have guessed that." The teen thought about what to do, he couldn't leave the semen in his desk because it was dry and become crusty but he also didn't want to make the girls wait all night.

Once Mikado was happy with how clean his hands were after being scrubbed completely raw he left the bathroom to go find some cleaning supplies and some gloves.  _This is crazy, this is way worse than my stuff going missing…wait, could it be the same person? Stealing my stuff, my lunches, and my clothes?_

_No way…do I have a stalker? Who the hell would want to stalk me? The only people I can think of that would do something like that would be Izaya and Aoba but there's no way it would be Izaya because that wouldn't make sense and then all this begun before Aoba even started at Raira._

_That means…that it's someone I'm not close to like a classmate or even someone from another class…what a nightmare._ Once Mikado had found what he wanted in the cleaning supplies he hurried back to the classroom, the Orihara twins still following behind like two curious puppies. It was weird but also comforting that he didn't have to deal with this creepy situation alone.

Coming closer to his classroom he saw someone standing out the front on their phone, Mikado sped up wondering if it could be the person who committed the crime of ruining his desk but it wasn't, it was Aoba.

"Senpai!" the teen perked up when he saw Mikado before his eyes went to Mairu and Kururi in surprise. "Eh? What are you two doing here?" he didn't seem suspicious, more curious and surprised.

 _He looks very innocent like that…_ Mikado thought before passing the smaller teen and going to towards his desk, pulling on the gloves as he realised that he never texted Izaya back. He took out his phone and paused.

Did he tell Izaya about this? The man would surely be furious that someone would do this to him considering how protective he was, Izaya had even mutilated someone who groped him on the train! The man would want to hunt down the person who did this but Mikado knew that his lover had enough on his plate.

They promised no secrets though. Mikado sent the simple text that something had happened at school that he needed to fix and that he would head home as soon as possible after seeing Shinra about the medication. He'd just tell Izaya at a later time.

Mikado picked up some spray and a rag before walking over to his desk and spraying the top of it.

"Why are you cleaning that desk Mikado-senpai? I just saw someone cleaning it." Aoba asked walking over to the older teen who froze, he slowly turned to look at the childish teen.

"What?" Aoba flinched slightly at the tone of Mikado's voice and nodded.

"Yeah, I came to see if you were still here to ask if you wanted to get something to eat when I saw this guy cleaning the desk. I just assumed it was his own desk or something." Aoba explained with a shrug.

"What did he look like?' Mairu demanded which surprised both Mikado and Aoba. Mikado looked inside his desk to see it was indeed clean, with his gloves still on he saw that all of his books had also been wiped down, though some the pages were still gross and sticky.

"He was really tall, probably like 5'9 with short black hair. He was wearing a jersey so he's probably in a sports club, he looked like the sporty type." Aoba squinted as if he was thinking hard to remember. "He shoulder checked me and glared at me as he left." Aoba added, "He looked like he wanted to kill me."

Mikado blinked and turned away to think.  _No one in my class is that tall so it's not someone in my class. Why would someone in a sports club be stalking me? I don't have anything to do with anyone in sports besides talking to those in my class every now and then._

"Why are you guys asking all of this, what did they do?" Aoba asked curiously looking from Mikado to the twins.

"They jerked off unto Mi-nii's desk!" Mairu crossed her arms, "We need to find who did this and destroy them!" she exclaimed and Kururi nodded.

"They're a bad person…" she quietly added. Aoba looked stunned as he turned to Mikado.

"Senpai, is that true?" the older teen nodded still half lost in thought. Mikado opening his mouth to say something when he noticed the threatening aura covering the three younger teens in front of him, it was almost bloodlust.

"Calm down guys." Mikado sweat, worried that they would start destroying everything around them. "We can't go acting rash here, we need a plan."

"We could just destroy all the sports teams." Mairu suggested which made both Mikado and Kururi shake their heads.

"That would be a sure way to get you expelled. I don't know about you two but I would like to finish high school." Mikado raised his eyebrow at the two twins who averted their eyes. It was surprising how quickly Mikado could accept them, he already knew all about them from Izaya so he wasn't stressed over how to deal with them.

And seeing the twins had started calling him brother, Mikado just wanted to be brotherly for them, he wanted to be their older brother because he didn't plan on leaving Izaya any time soon. He was going to be with Izaya forever so he might as well face the music and be their in-law.

"I agree we need a plan but we also need to destroy whoever did this," Aoba said seriously. "It could be the same person who stole your uniform before Golden week. You could actually have a stalker Mikado-senpai."

"It seems like the most logical explanation. Many of my things were stolen all last year as well." Mikado admitted.

"That's not good…" Kururi frowned and Mikado nodded in agreement.

"Plus, I can handle this myself. This isn't your problem so don't worry about it." He smiled at the younger teens who frowned and disagreed.

"No way, I can help you senpai."

"Yeah! We can too!"

Mikado sighed, "Alright but we'll have to talk about this tomorrow or something. I still have errands to run before going home." The teen looked at his phone where he saw he had another message from Izaya.

"Does that mean you can't go out to eat?" Aoba asked disappointed and Mikado shook his head.

"Yeah, sorry." He said with a fake smile. He still didn't trust nor like Aoba even with how helpful he had been. It was easy to forget all the shit he'd put Mikado through when he was being so nice but the older teen would never forget.

* * *

When Mikado was out of the school gate, the two Orihara twins walking next to each other holding hands, he took out this phone reading Izaya's text. The man had rung Shinra so the painkillers just needed to be picked up. Mikado thanked him and told him about his sisters wanting to come and visit.

Not long after he'd sent the text, Izaya rang him. "Hey-"

"What did you mean my sisters want to visit?" Izaya cut him off asking suddenly. Mikado blinked,

"Well, you see they kind of cornered me in my classroom and starting interrogating me about you."

"And you told them about us?" Izaya asked surprised.

"Not quite, I did say we were friends but they didn't believe me. But then Kururi-san guessed and I couldn't deny it…I'm sorry." Mikado said regretfully closing his eyes in remorse. "I couldn't even pretend to hate the idea or act like I don't care about you like that."

"…" Izaya sighed deeply, "I'll forgive you because that was a really cute reason. But it is kind of a mess."

Mikado laughed, "I know, I'm sorry, but they seemed worried about you."

"We were not!" Mairu protested in a less than believable way. Mikado smiled and shook his head,

"Nonetheless they promised to keep it a secret and said I'm allowed to date you." Mikado chuckled and Izaya laughed.

"I didn't know you needed my family's approval." He teased playfully.

"Neither did I." the teen laughed. "I even got my own nickname of 'Mi-nii'" the teen told the man as Shinra's building came into sight.

"Hm, that's quite cute. Well, I guess there's nothing we can do now but hope they can keep it a secret." Izaya sighed and Mikado agreed. "I also guess they can come over if they want if they behave themselves."

"Alright, I'll tell them that." Mikado smiled before repeating Izaya's words to his sisters. Mairu poked out her tongue.

"We're always well behaved!" Mikado chuckled, not believing her for a second before turning back to his phone call.

"Alright, we're almost at Shinra's building. We'll be back as soon as possible."

"Alright babe, see you then."

They soon arrived at Shinra's door and rang the doorbell. They waited a few minutes with no answer before ringing it again. Mikado could hear heavy footsteps coming towards the door that didn't seem to belong to someone as small as Shinra.

Mikado braced himself not knowing who was going to answer the door before it swung open to reveal a familiar face who looked just as surprised to see him as he were to see them.

"Oh Ryugamine-san, hello." The cold looking man greeted smoothly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The stalker ISN'T Aoba! Poor Aoba, do you all feel bad now? haha


	38. Daily Life

Mikado shook off his surprise and bowed slightly, "Hello Shiki-san, how are you?" the Awakusu executive gave a tight-lipped smile that didn't quite reach his cold grey eyes,

"I'm doing well. What brings you Kishitani-sensei's place?"

"I'm just here to pick up some medication," Mikado said peeking pass the older man to see the apartment was full of Yakuza, something must have happened for there to be so many of them.

"I'm afraid Kishitani-san is a bit busy right now." Mikado frowned, Izaya had said that he'd rang beforehand so Mikado could just pick them up. They couldn't go without painkillers, it would kill them both. There was no way that Mikado would go about his normal life with the pain of cracked ribs.

Mikado was about to open his mouth to say something when Shinra came down the hall. "Shiki-san, there you are- Oh Ryugamine-san, you're here!" Shinra had blood on his lab coat as he smiled brightly at the teen.

"Hello Kishitani-sensei, it seems you're a bit busy. Can I just grab the medication and I'll be out of your hair?" Mikado asked with a smile.

"Hm, it's probably better if I check your ribs to be honest." The underground doctor said looking the teen up and down. "Make sure they're healing and not getting worse." Shinra turned to Shiki. "Your colleague is perfectly fine now."

"When can he be moved?" Shiki asked and Mikado tilted his head listening to them talk about one of Shiki's men that had been injured. Shinra ushered him inside and Mikado told the twins to wait outside for him not really feeling comfortable with them following him into a room of yakuza but they wouldn't be Orihara's if they actually listened so they followed him in any way.

Mikado felt a bit nervous but didn't let it show on his face. He was wary of yakuza just because of their reputation, he knew that they probably wouldn't attack him for no reason especially if they were a high enough rank to be around Shiki.

"Alright Ryugamine-san, can you please take off your shirt?" Shinra smiled at him and Mikado froze.

"H-here?" he stuttered knowing that he probably sounded terribly weak and pathetic but asking him to strip in front of a bunch of yakuza men was a bit much especially since Izaya had spent the night before sucking the life out of him and leaving marks everywhere he could as per usual.

"Oh right. We can go into the tatami mat room." Shinra gestured at the sliding door near the entrance and Mikado breathed a sigh of relief as they all stepped inside, Shinra excusing himself to Shiki before closing the door.

"Alright, let's have a look." Mikado took off his jacket, Kururi helping him when she noticed he was having trouble, undid his tie and undid his shirt.

"Is that enough?" he asked Shinra who nodded.

"Plenty. So what's this? Have you been accepted into the family?" Shinra grinned as he poked around Mikado's ribs.

"I think I have." Mikado smiled happily. "I must say it was a bit scary to be cornered by these two." He chuckled looking at the two twins who smiled.

"If they're anything like their brother then I can imagine it." Shinra stepped back and blinked. "This is amazing, you've healed so much in just the last few days! I'd say you've at least healed half of the damaged! It's almost like Shizuo-kun though he heals inhumanly fast." Shinra chattered excitedly his brown eyes wide.

"Really?" the teen asked in surprise, he'd know his injuries were healing fast but not so much that it was strange.

"Tell me, do you have any inhuman traits?" Shinra got really close to Mikado who stepped back and shook his head.

"Not in the slightest." He shook his head. "I'm just a regular human, nothing special." He smiled awkwardly as he buttoned his shirt back up feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Oh…" Shinra seemed disappointed before changing the subject. "Well that's all good, just redress and I'll go get your painkillers." Mikado nodded watching as Shinra opened the slightly ajar door.

 _Hm, I thought he fully closed that? Maybe I'm imagining things?_ Mikado shrugged it off as he completely redressed himself. Mairu suddenly popped up into his vision making him jump a little,

"So many marks on your body so scandalous Mi-nii~" she teased with a leer. Mikado blushed deeply, his intimate life wasn't something he was comfortable talking about especially with Izaya's sisters.

"How perverted." Kururi covered her mouth with her hand as if she was shocked though her expression didn't change.

"Tell me Mi-nii, are you a top or bottom? S or M? What's your kink?" Mairu grinned and Mikado went bright red as he stared at her in shock. She'd actually asked him something similar on the chatroom not that long ago but with everything that had happened, it felt like months.

"I-I'm not talking about that!" Mikado stuttered slightly as he raised his voice, standing up flustered. "You don't need to know any of that!"

"Yeah, we do!" Mairu protested also jumping up. Mikado shook his head frowning firmly. There was no way he was going to open up about such things especially to Izaya's sisters, no one needed to know what happened in their bedroom, or lounge room, or kitchen, bathroom or entrance – anywhere in their private space.

 _Oh my god, we've done it everywhere._ Mikado realised stunned before shaking his head.  _These girls! Izaya said they were like this but I didn't believe him. God, what the hell is up with them?_

Shinra soon came back into the room and gave Mikado his painkillers. "With the rate you're healing, you should be fully healed within a week so come back and see me then." The underground doctor chirped.

"Kishitani-sensei…?" Mikado asked quietly and the child-like man looked at him. "How long does it take to recover from a stab wound?" Shinra blinked and tilted his head,

"Why?"

Mikado froze for a moment in surprise before he narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean why? Didn't Izaya ring you?" Mikado asked sharply. Perhaps Izaya hadn't rung Shinra when the teen was asleep, perhaps the underground doctor had no idea what he was talking about.

Shinra seemed to think for a moment. "Oh yeah! He interrupted my date with Celty!" Shinra said outraged. He rambled for a while longer about how Izaya interrupted and how no one can do that. Mikado stood there, he could feel darkness bubbling up inside him threatening to take over, and his vision is blurred, the edges becoming red with rage.

Rage from listening to this man's heartlessness.

Listening to this man complain that Izaya had rung him, his only friend when he'd been stabbed.

He'd hung up on Izaya and now he was badmouthing him.

Mikado clenched his fists knowing that he couldn't lay hand on the man in front of him because of Celty.  _I don't know what she sees in this man! Even Izaya would be concerned if someone close to him was injured!_

_I can't believe he can just stand here and bitch about someone who was gravely injured in front of not only their lover but their sisters too!_

Mikado could feel himself shaking, both of the twins were looking at him concerned. "That's enough," Mikado said curtly making Shinra stop and look at him in surprise.

"Thank you for the medicine and the check-up." Mikado's voice was curt as he clearly showed his displeasure but didn't want to be overly rude in case it brought about Celty's wrath. "I'll be going now." Mikado gave a short nod and walked around Shinra, the twins following him.

Shiki was standing in the hallway and met eyes with him. Mikado gave him a curt nod and the man raised an eyebrow. Mikado quickly put on his shoes struggling to control his rage, god how much he wanted to punch Shinra in the face.

_I really don't like that man._

Mikado took a few deep breaths and counted to ten to calm himself. He smiled at the twins as the elevator left, "Let's go home, shall we? I'm sure Izaya is wondering where we are"

* * *

"I'm home!" Mikado called out as he opened the door to Izaya's apartment. Footsteps hurried to the entrance and Izaya came into view from the direction of the kitchen.

"Welcome home." He greeted Mikado, suspiciously eyeing his two sisters. Mikado got some spare slippers out of the cupboard, they were quite dusty telling the teen that no one had visited Izaya here in a long time but considering it was a 'safe house' Mikado understood why.

"Here you go." Mikado dropped them in front of the twins who quietly put them on. He walked up to Izaya and playfully poked his cheek. "Why the long face?"

Izaya leaned in, turning away from his sisters. "I didn't think they would actually come here! What do I do?" the man hissed frantically his eyes wide. "I don't understand why they would sudden visit! They've been saying they hate me for years!" the man insisted and Mikado smiled.

"Don't worry about it Izaya, just try to enjoy their company, relax, talk to them." The teen suggested.  _It's endearing how suddenly worried he can become sometimes. He's been a lot more open with his emotions since he was attacked. Not that I can blame him, it would have been a terrifying experience._

 _But maybe good can come out of this. Maybe Izaya can start getting along with people a little better._ The teen thought optimistically. "I'm gonna go get changed," Mikado said before leaving the older man with his sisters.

Mikado sat on the bed and read through the Dollars website seeing nothing but the usual stuff. There were a few unsavoury posts that he hid from the public eye but other than that everything seemed alright. The teen wasted time getting change, giving Izaya more time with his sisters alone.

He was sure that the Orihara siblings could come to be quite friendly if they were given a push. Both Izaya and the twins cared about one another, though they both acted like they didn't. In a way, Mikado understood why Izaya kept them at a distance. If he was close to them then they would become prime targets for Izaya's enemies.

_Then again, Izaya did say they were just as dangerous as him in some ways. He'd sent them to a dojo since they were little and now they were both quite the fighters, more so Mairu than Kururi._

Mikado let himself fall back against the bed as he looked up at the ceiling.  _It would be good if Izaya had more people to be himself around, it would be amazing if more people could see that he isn't all bad but…why do I feel a bit jealous imagining it?_

 _If I imagine him surrounded by people…if more people accept him…would he still love me as much?_ Mikado groaned and rubbed his face.  _What am I even thinking about?_

_I should be thinking about what I'm going to do about the creep that's been stealing all my stuff and fucking coming in my desk! God, makes my gut churn to even think about it!_

_What the hell is he doing with my stuff? Has he cum in my desk before and I never knew because he cleaned it up? Aoba said it was someone in a sports jersey but I can't think of anyone that would do this._

Mikado rolled on his side, looking soberly at the black sheets.  _Why does all this keep happening to me?_

 _People breaking into my apartment when I first moved here, being stolen from…all this is bullshit. I know I have to find who did this but I already have so much on my plate with the Blue Squares and everything else._ Mikado closed his eyes and sighed, he was exhausted.

_I need to find this stalker before they become dangerous…I need proof before I act…I need help too but I don't have to stress Izaya out…Sonohara-san either…I guess I could ask the twins and Aoba seeming they already knew what happened._

_Maybe this is the first mission I can give Aoba, something small and personal so he becomes truly loyal. If I create a feeling of closeness then maybe he will be less inclined to turn on me. It would be great if I could do that will all the Blue Squares…_

_If I become their friend then maybe…_

Mikado was woken up by someone shaking him lightly. He opened his eyes sluggishly to see Izaya leaning over him.

"W…what's wrong?" the teen mumbled looking up at his lover still half asleep.

"Do you want some dinner? We got take out." The older man said with a smile, running his fingers through Mikado's hair. The teen closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling as his mind tried to make sense of what Izaya had said before it all came back to him.

"Oh man, I feel asleep?" the teen rubbed his face finally waking up a bit more.

"Yeah, it's alright. You must have been really tired." The older man stepped back as Mikado gets up groaning as he realised he was still in his uniform that was no doubt wrinkled now. He undressed, changing into a t-shirt and some shorts.

"What did you get for dinner? Are your sisters still here?" he asked curiously. Izaya nodded,

"Yeah, we got sushi."

"How did things go?" Mikado asked hopefully, Izaya had been stressed over his sisters but now he seemed fine which was a good sign.

"Not completely terrible, they're still overwhelmingly annoying though." Izaya chuckled and Mikado smiled.

"That's good." The teen reached through his school bag for the bottle of painkillers and Izaya sighed in relief, accepting them graciously.

They headed back stairs to where the twins were sitting in the lounge room, the TV was on but the volume was turned down low.

"Mi-nii!" Mairu exclaimed when she saw him. "Where did you go?" the hyper-energetic girl asked and the teen apologised.

"Sorry, I fell asleep." He said sheepishly just before the door buzzed. Mikado watched Izaya answer the intercom with a frown on his face.

"Babe, could you answer the door when they arrive?" the informant asked, "Can't be too careful." He smirked and Mikado agreed.

It was a surprisingly peaceful evening despite how rowdy Mairu was. Seeing the Orihara siblings interact was interesting. Kururi and Izaya seemed to have a good relationship but it seemed that Mairu and Izaya clashed quite a bit, they gave jabs and teased each other relentlessly but none of it was ill-willed.

It was the first time that Mikado and Izaya ever openly spent time with others as a couple. Sure, they had hung out in the group but not as a known couple. It was nice, they didn't have to stop themselves from holding hands or leaning on one another. It was freeing and Mikado wished it could always be that way.


	39. Nothing and Everything Has Changed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's just another day of home and school life of course.

Mikado hummed as he made breakfast, trying not to dance as he remembered a song he heard at sunshine once, it was English and he didn't remember the lyrics but the beat had popped in his head the night before and he hadn't been able to get out.

He could near Mairu and Kururi talking loudly from the bathroom where they were getting ready. Mikado had felt like a parent this morning having to wash and dry the girl's clothing as they didn't have a change of clothes, luckily they had woken up very early and come into Mikado and Izaya's bedroom asking loudly what was for breakfast.

Mikado could have murdered them at that moment but now he was fine, Izaya had gone back to sleep which was fair. "Mi-nii! Where's your hair dryer?!" Mairu asked loudly, the teen looked up his eyes going wide before he covered his eyes with a shocked yell.

"Ahhhh! Oh my god! P-put some clothes on!" he exclaimed loudly turning bright red, he'd never seen a girl naked but now he had and it was his boyfriend's younger sisters nonetheless. He felt like he'd done something really bad.

"Why? You like boys don't you?" Mairu asked, like it normal. Mikado shook his head taking his hand away from his eyes only to keep them training solely on the ground.

"That's not the point! You can't walk around n-naked! You're dripping water everywhere!" The teen turned off the stove and walked towards them, still looking at the hardwood floors.

"Sorry." Kururi murmured, realising they had made a mess.

"You didn't give us any towels!" Mairu pouted and Mikado shook his head.

"They're in the bathroom cupboard! Oh my god." The teen didn't know what to do, he was weirded out and disturbed but he didn't want to upset the two girls. "You're going to catch a cold!" Mikado shook his head still not looking at them as he tried his best to usher them into the bathroom.

Mairu laughed "Mi-nii, your ears are red!"

"Just get dried up and I'll go get the hair dryer from upstairs!" Mikado exclaimed embarrassed. He sighed in relief once the girls were finally back in the bathroom with the doors closed.

"Jesus fucking Christ." He sighed, exhausted already.

"Alright, it's almost time to go. Here." Mikado held out two bentos for the girls who took them with wide eyes.

"No way is this a homemade bento!?" Mairu exclaimed her eyes open wide and Mikado nodded.

"Yeah, is it alright?" he tilted his head curiously wondering why the girls were acting the way they were.

"No way." Kururi looked at it with wide eyes.

"We've never really had one before," Mairu said excitedly. Mikado froze.

_That's right, along with Izaya the twins had been pushed aside by their parents. They hadn't really had parents. Izaya said that they had relied on one another._

_I guess it makes sense that they've never had one, Izaya can only cook certain meals after all. I guess he gave them money for lunch…what a disappointment._

Mikado smiled, "I hope you like it." He said. "I'll just say goodbye to Izaya and we can leave," Mikado said before hurrying upstairs. Izaya was asleep with a frown on his face. The teen smiled softly, crouching next to his lover.

"I'm off to school Izaya, I'll see you when I come home. I left the painkillers on the counter." He knew that Izaya probably wouldn't hear him but he groaned anyway. Mikado chuckled and kissed the older man on the forehead.

Izaya's eyes flickered but he remained asleep which made Mikado smiled affectionately. He didn't know how the man could be so cute sometimes. He was sure Izaya would be the death of him one day with the way he could be so cute, so sexy and so dangerous at the same time.

Mikado didn't want to leave, he could just watch Izaya sleeping peacefully for hours until he woke up. The teen sighed and stood up, murmuring another goodbye to Izaya before he turned around. When he turned he could see the twins watching him through the ajar door.

Mikado blushed slightly, embarrassed to be seen in such an imitate moment. He cleared his throat once he'd closed the door. "Let's go to school shall we?" he said awkwardly, feeling a bit shy and the twins nodded with smiles.

* * *

 

It was almost funny how normal school was. There was no sign of Mikado's stalker trying anything new. It was so peaceful and normal it almost felt like a lie. Probably because it was a lie, his whole personality at school was a lie, he was acting shy, acting sheepish and acting like he was okay.

But somehow it was comforting to have people who knew the real him. His friendship group had grown even larger with Izaya's sisters now in it. They had really attached themselves to him which made him really happy. He wanted them to be happy after all so being there for them was the least he could do.

"I'll going to get a drink from the vending machine," Mikado said nudging Aoba's leg with his foot. Giving the smaller boy a sign, luckily he got it.

"Oh, I was just thinking of getting one too. I'll come with you." Aoba said with a smile. The girls nodded and went back to their conversation, the twins along with them.

"What's up Mikado-senpai?" Aoba asked once they had left the roof.

"I was wondering if you had maybe seen the guy from yesterday." The teen asked as they downed the stairs. It was bothering him a lot, the thought of some random guy getting off on things he'd stolen from Mikado was so disturbing it gave him shivers.

"Uh, I haven't really been looking," Aoba admitted. "I didn't know you wanted me too." The younger teen was quite close to Mikado but he ignored it.

"I want to find who did this as soon as possible," Mikado said firmly and Aoba nodded with a smile.

"Of course." Aoba agreed as they reached the vending machine.  _This is going to be a pain in the ass. Only Aoba saw the guy so only he can point him out. That is if he can remember what he looks like well enough. The description he gave literally fits half the male teenagers in Japan._

_The best way would be to check each classroom and see if Aoba can pick him out but that's harder said than done. The only time we can do it just during lunch and not a lot of people stay in their classrooms._

_First, we should start off in the cafeteria._ "You're going to help him find him," Mikado ordered Aoba with a smile. Aoba looked delighted at the order, so happy that he could make up for the Blue Squares fucking up before.

Mikado didn't exactly know what he was going to do when he found the person who had been stalking him but he knew that he was going to utterly destroy his life. The teen smirked darkly.  _How dare someone even think they can get away with this. I won't let some low life degrade me like this!_

_They obviously think they're above the rules to do something like this and I can't wait to show them that they definitely aren't. Planning their demise will be a nice vacation whilst I wait for the Dollars to cool down once again and put together my plan._

_Ah, I kind of understand why Izaya does this stuff now. It's so fun._ Mikado quietly chuckled which made Aoba turn around. The younger teen seemed to flinch a little at Mikado's no doubt sadistic smile.

 _Oh right, I'm at school._ Mikado smiled brightly at the smaller teen who smiled back, his eyes sparkling in delight. They arrived at the cafeteria walking leisurely to the snack booth whilst Aoba scanned the crowd.

Mikado brought some chips for the sake of appearances as Aoba looked around. "Do you see anything you want Kuronuma-kun?" the teen asked, obviously meaning something else. Aoba shook his head with a frown and Mikado sighed.

"Damn, oh well, let's head back. Everyone is probably wondering where we got to."

Mikado sighed as he looked out the window as the teacher droned on. It was crazy how just a week ago he and Anri were involved in a gang war. Anri fought a Russian assassin, he fought a bunch of men and became the leader of a gang. He'd even stabbed Aoba in the hand but sitting there in class it felt like it was a lifetime away.

Mikado spun his pen in his hand at an impressive rate. Things in his life were getting so crazy but at the same time, it felt like nothing had changed.  _But everything's changed._ He told himself,  _what did you expect? To be surrounded by interesting things every second of every day?_

_I don't know why I feel this way…it's annoying. Why am I feeling so dissatisfied? I don't know what's wrong with me…I need to start working on my plan for the Blue Squares and once Izaya is all healed he will once again start working which always leads to some sort of mess._

_I have to construct a list of people I want to get rid of and places where they hang out so I can send the Blue Squares after them. But that's easier said than done, I only know their first names._ Mikado frowned.

"Ryuugamine-san!" the teacher suddenly snapped and the teen turned around his eyes wide. "Seems you find the window so much more interesting than my lesson, you must already know the answer to this equation." The woman pointed towards the board with a smug look on her face.

Mikado blinked and didn't even bother looking sheepish as he answered correctly. "Sorry, the answer is twenty-eight, Sensei." The woman looked stunned that he'd gotten it right which made a most of the class snicker.

"Pay attention!" she finally snapped before going back into the lecture. Mikado quietly clicked his tongue, it was so annoying to sit through classes he already knew. A lot of his other teachers had started giving him advanced work, made for grades above him which was actually interesting and taught him new things but there were a few teachers, like his maths teacher who refused to do such a thing.

Mikado made a point to stare at the board and zone out instead.

"I'm home!" Mikado called as he closed the front door. He'd come home right away, leaving Anri to hang out with the other girls. She knew he was injured and agreed he should just go home.

"Welcome back," Izaya called from the sofa where he was sitting, laptop resting on his legs. "How was school?" the teen shrugged, coming up behind his lover to give him a quick peck on the lips.

"Boring. How was your day?" he asked, shrugging off his blazer and undoing his tie.

"Alright, I'm making progress." The man smirked and Mikado smiled.

"Really? That's great." He beamed, "I'm sure it won't be long before you completely destroy the man you're after."

"Of course not, I am Orihara Izaya after all." The older man smirked and Mikado chuckled slightly.

"Seems like you're feeling better." he teased and Izaya gave a breathy laugh. "I'm gonna go have a shower."

"Alright, babe." Izaya waved him off.

_Maybe I actually should tell him about the stalker. I know I said I didn't want to but he has a right to know what's going on. Plus, he'd probably have great ideas on how to catch the pervert._

_I'll tell him…when he's a bit better though. I don't want to add to his stress._

_I_ _'m sure I can handle it alone._

**Author's Note:**

> TO BE CONTINUED.  
> If you find any mistakes (spelling, grammar, not grammatically correct, etc.) please notify me so I can fix it!  
> Thank you~!


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